TOPIC: Addressing the Issue of Refugee Relocation System and the Violations

Against Refugee
COMMITTEE : UNHCR
COUNTRY : ISRAEL

As a Jewish homeland open to the immigration of Jews from all over the world, and a
signatory to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967
Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, Israel has absorbed a large number of
Jewish refugees from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In handling applications
for political asylum of non-Jewish applicants, Israel applies international law criteria
in accordance with its treaty obligations and claims to abide by the principle of non-
refoulement. Israel has traditionally maintained restrictive immigration policies. This
is due to that fact that it borders states and populations that are hostile, is affected by
geopolitically volatile conditions in the Middle East and Africa, respects civil
liberties, and enjoys a significantly higher standard of living as compared with other
countries in the surrounding region.
Accordingly, Israel Israel recognizes a refugee as a person who, owing to well-
founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of
his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the
protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the
country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing
to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.[14] Israel is also committed to the principle
that no State should expel or return a person in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers
of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race,
religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
Protecting refugees is primarily the responsibility of the state. Israel have signed the
1951 convention and signed the 1951 Convention and is legally obligated to protect
refugees according to the terms set out in the Convention. As a signatory to the 1951
UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to
the Status of Refugees, Israel has absorbed a large number of Jewish refugees from
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In handling applications for political asylum of
non-Jewish applicants, Israel applies international law criteria in accordance with its
treaty obligations and claims to abide by the principle of non-refoulement. Israel has
traditionally maintained restrictive immigration policies. This is due to the fact that it
borders states and populations that are hostile, is affected by geopolitically volatile
conditions in the Middle East and Africa, respects civil liberties, and enjoys a
significantly higher standard of living as compared with other countries in the
surrounding region. Israel has rarely granted residence status to nationals of hostile
states. Special arrangements are made for residents of the West Bank and Gaza for the
sake of family reunification. From 2013-17 the Israeli government adopted an official
policy offering Sudanese and Eritreans who were willing to leave $3,500 plus a one-
way ticket home or to a third-party country, namely Rwanda or Uganda. the fence has
similarly shut down human traffickers said to have engaged in the rape of women and
extortion of migrants. Infiltrators may obtain a temporary visit visa They generally
may be employed, as the government has expressed a commitment not to sanction
employers of 2(A)(5)-visa holders. Although a temporary visit visa is not a work
permit, employed visa holders are entitled to a number of benefits under Israeli labour
law, including a minimum wage, sick pay, and health insurance.
Basically, international efforts are needed to handle the situation of refugees in the
country along with national policies. Organizations like UN should act as a mediator
to send back the refugees to their home countries or to a third country and help them
sign some agreements or treaties. Subsidies or Organizations like UNHCR and
UNHRC should keep an eye on the transaction of refugees for the protection of their
human rights while this process takes place. Refugees can be relocated to countries
where population is less and where there is a lack of working class, these refugees can
be made to work there and temporary citizenship can be provided to them so that they
can work efficiently in those countries and by providing basics human rights to these
refugees and save living environment these refugees can help in economical
development of that country and parallel can improve there way of living standards or
countries like Canada and and other countries which have large land area can invite
refugees to stay there for some particular and educate them and make them skill full
in different sector and so they can go back to there parent countries and help it to
develop and make it place to live with all human rights and safeguards so people of
their country need not go anywhere to seek asylum.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Employment of Asylum Seekers, Aid Organization for Refugees and Asylum
Seekers in Israel, http://assaf. org.il/he/content /‫העסקת‬-‫מ בקש י‬-‫( מקלט‬in Hebrew;
last visited Oct. 12, 2019), archived at https://perma.cc/A33E-WHSF.
• Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness with Final Act of the United
Nations Conference on the Elimination or Reduction of Future Statelessness
Held at Geneva from 24 March to 18 April 1959, and Resolutions I, II, III and
IV of the Conference), Aug. 30, 1961, 989 U.N.T.S.
175, https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%
20989/v989.pdf, archived at https://perma.cc/PS5N-BPMD.
• Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, May 14,
1948, http://knesset.gov.il/docs/eng/megilat_eng. htm, archived
at https://perma.cc/S56F-4QSX.
• United Nations, “UNHCR Concerned over Israel's Refugee Relocation
Proposals” (UNHCR)
<https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2017/11/5a0f27484/unhcr-concerned-
israels-refugee-relocation-proposals.html> accessed October 19, 2019
• Entry to Israel Law 5712-1952, 6 Laws of the State of Israel [LSI] p. 150,
5712-1951/52, as amended
• Handling Asylum Seekers,
PIA, http://www.piba.gov.il/authorityunits/pages/rsd.aspx (in Hebrew; last
visited Oct. 18, 2019), archived at https://perma.cc/553R-WZ85.