Israel to pay volunteer civilians in drive to expel asylum seekers

Israeli authorities are offering a bonus payment of up to 30,000 shekels ($8,705) to volunteer civilians who are willing “to temporarily serve as inspectors in the expulsion of asylum seekers”, reports Haaretz.

On Sunday, the Israeli government “published a notice that it is hiring 100 inspectors on a temporary basis for terms of two years, from March 2018, as well as 40 investigators for the unit that examines asylum requests”. The “inspectors” will be working in the greater Tel Aviv area.

According to the paper, the job “would entail holding hearings for the asylum seekers; interviewing and documenting the ones prepared to leave ‘voluntarily’; coordinating and issuing travel papers and coordinating flights; accompanying asylum seekers; and monitoring their reentry to their countries or origin or elsewhere.”

Read: Israel’s policy on African asylum seekers reflects its internal divisions

The other inspectors would be involved in “enforcement of laws against asylum seekers and their employers. Their job would be to find them, record their stories and investigate the employers as well.”

The ad states that “experience in combat or security is a plus”.

Last week, the Israeli government announced that asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan who don’t leave “voluntarily” by April will be subject to indefinite imprisonment.