Eli Yishai: 'Israel state for Jewish immigration'
צילום: גיל יוחנן
Yishai: Foreigners use kids as insurance policy
Interior minister remains determined to deport illegal aliens who he says 'use their children as human shields'. Says has support of Knesset, ministers
Interior Minister Eli Yishai is standing firm in his position that the 1,200 children of illegal labor immigrants should be deported from Israel, and he says that his position is widely supported in the government and in Knesset.
"The government ministers and the members of Knesset, without any exceptions, have told me that I am right that the 1,200 children should be deported," he said, speaking at Sderot Conference on Tuesday.
The minister's speech was received with applause, particularly when he said, "Israel is a state for Jewish immigration."
Yishai added that the foreign workers are using their children in order to remain in Israel. "With the children there is a very big show here. It is difficult for me as well, but they are using the children as human shields," he said.
"They use them as an insurance policy. If we do not prevent this, tens of thousands more will come from different countries, and I know I would be more popular if I would join the show some ministers are putting on," he added.
Yishai also addressed the matter of African migrants infiltrating Israel through Egypt and said that only some of them are refugees, but the vast majority are labor immigrants. "Because of them, a lot of money is being sent abroad," he said.
