South Sudanese at airport ahead of deportation; Yishai: Just the beginning

More than 100 South Sudan migrants transported to BG Airport from Tel Aviv, Eilat and Arad to board midnight flight to Juba. Minister: In Israel's best interest

Omri Efraim|Published: 06.17.12 , 20:57

More than a hundred South Sudanese migrants were transported to Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday ahead of their deportation. The 127 migrants are expected to board a midnight flight back to Juba.

Interior Minister Eli Yishai, who also arrived at the airport, reiterated that he plans to return 60,000 African infiltrators - most of whom are from Sudan and Eritrea - back to their home countries.

חוזרים הביתה (צילום: רויטרס)

Migrants on way to airport (Photo: Reuters)

The Migrants were transported to the airport by bus from Tel Aviv, Eilat and Arad. Yishai, who initiated the deportation plan, said it was in Israel's best interest.

עוזבים את תל אביב (צילום: רויטרס)

Leaving Tel Aviv (Photo: Reuters)

The Population and Immigration Authority said the migrants who will board the flight to South Sudan at midnight are all citizens of the new country and are leaving voluntarily. However, human rights groups said the Africans were being expelled.

Immigration Authority official Gideon Cohen said the migrants are undergoing medical examinations at the airport and are being vaccinated. In addition, he said, each adult received 100 euros, and every child was given $500 in cash. Cohen said there was not enough room on the flight for all the migrants who were transported to the airport.

Prime Minister's Office Director-General Harel Locker also met the migrants at the airport. "The State did not fail in its treatment of the infiltration problem," he said. "The government is stopping the flood (of migrants) by erecting a fence and it is also building holding facilities. We are also exploring the possibility of encouraging infiltrators, including those from Eritrea and Sudan, to leave voluntary.