News Brief
November 05, 2009 Israel to Deport Children of Foreign Workers at School Year's End
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Children of foreign workers in Israel illegally will be deported at the end of the school year.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office made the announcement late Sunday regarding the children, who are studying in the state school system and number about 1,200.
Netanyahu also instructed Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz
to lead a team that will formulate a comprehensive policy on
reducing the number of illegal foreign workers in Israel. The team will consider stiffening punitive measures against employers who violate the law, increased enforcement measures and the construction of a ground barrier along the southern border.
The issue of foreign workers' children -- many of whom
were born in Israel and speak only Hebrew, but have no visa -- has been contentious in recent weeks, as human-rights groups have publicized the cause and fought to prevent the deportations.
Yishai, the Shas Party leader, has been leading the call
for deportation.
It claims that allowing the children to remain and giving them citizenship could damage the Jewish character of the state.
