Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday, 13 Cheshvan 5774, made the following remarks at a meeting on the actions needed to repatriate illegal migrants currently in Israel: “Our goal is two-fold: Continue the absolute halt to the entry of new migrants to Israeli cities. We have succeeded here. The number is zero and it will continue, but this is only the first mission. The second mission is to continue repatriations, including the repatriation of those illegal migrants who have already entered Israel. We want to achieve both of these things, of course by legal and accepted methods, and thus we are holding this discussion.”

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein added “We will work toward upholding and carrying out the Supreme Court decision. The solutions that will be found will also be in keeping with the ruling and with the rationale behind it, and as the Prime Minister said – we will use legal means to realize the goals that he referred to.”

Minister of the Interior Gideon Saar added “The High Court of Justice ruling has created a new situation that we must deal with. Today, I will present the Prime Minister with an action plan, which we formulated over the past month, of steps that we must take in order to defend the country, its borders and its residents. We cannot remain without tools at a time when we know that Israel is the only Western country that borders Africa. Without clear responses on all issues, we cannot know that the situation created in the wake of the actions of the previous Netanyahu government will continue. At the same time, we must change the existing situation, which is unacceptable, in which tens of thousands of illegal migrants are in Israel. All of this is with the understanding that we are committed to acting according to the principles and values of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)