Israel’s supreme court has suspended a controversial plan by the Netanyahu government to deport tens of thousands of African migrants who entered 1948 occupied territories illegally.
The court gave the government until 26 March to provide more information on the plan.
In January the migrants – mostly from Eritrea and Sudan – were offered $3500 (£2510) and a plane ticket to leave Israel voluntarily by the end of March. Otherwise they faced detention and subsequent expulsion. The UN refugee agency criticised the plan.
The Israeli court issued its ruling on Thursday following a legal challenge by a group of migrants from Eritrea and Sudan.
The government now cannot deport African migrants until the court receives additional information.
Israeli authorities say there are currently more than 40000 African migrants in Israel describing them as “infiltrators”.
Most of them entered from Egypt several years ago before a new fence was built along the desert border. This has almost ended illegal crossings.
Israelis have claimed that an unchecked influx of African migrants could threaten Israel’s Jewish character and Judaization schemes across the occupied Palestinian territories.
