For some of the tourists in the lobby of the Tel Aviv Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday, the scene was somewhat confusing if not frightening.

Agents of the Ohz immigration unit entered the hotel and began rounding up employees, in this case, African employees. Eleven people were detained and questioned, and three were released when officials learned they were mothers. The others were taken into custody, with Ohz releasing a statement the illegal aliens were illegally employed at the hotel.

Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov condemned the action, asking why such an operation must be conducted in midday in the lobby of a prominent Tel Aviv hotel .Misezhnikov, who is in the United States, expressed his total support for law-enforcement but calls for a modicum of discretion. In this case he said, many of the visitors are in Israel to take part in the Maccabia sporting games, and at a time “when Israel is fighting for each tourist such an act is harmful and damaging to Israel’s image as a country of choice for tourists”.

Some hotel officials called the actions of Ohz agents “brutal” but Interior Ministry officials Sabin Hadad rejected the criticism, stating a number of illegal Ethiopian and Nigerian nationals are in custody. In addition, Hadad explained the hotel was fined NIS tens of thousands, and she added similar raids are planned for other hotels as well.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)