Israeli Minister of National Security Ben Gvir calls for deportation of Eritrean migrants after deadly street fight in Tel Aviv

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Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on the Israeli government to deport Eritrean migrants following the deaths of two people in a street fight in Tel Aviv between Eritreans who are pro- and anti-regime. In addition, several individuals were wounded and taken to the hospital for treatment.

The large brawl, which involved sticks and spokes, took place close to the Central Bus Station in southern Tel Aviv, a socio-economically impoverished area with a large population of illegal migrants from Eritrea and other African countries.

Israeli police officers who arrived at the scene were forced to fire warning shots in the air to break up the two warring sides.

In a public statement, Ben Gvir’s office claimed the National Security Ministry and the Israel Police had reached a consensus “to deport the Eritreans, following the request submitted a year ago and the discussion held with the prime minister.”

“In addition, it was agreed that the national security minister would raise the matter before Prime Minister Netanyahu and demand his intervention in the matter,” Ben Gvir’s office stated, underscoring the need “to keep the peace and ensure the safety of the citizenry.”

Ben Gvir’s office criticized the previous Ministry of Interior and the prosecutor’s office.

“We note that in the past, the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor’s Office stated that they would assist in the matter, but after that, they did not advance the process.”

There are reportedly some 20,000 Eritreans currently residing in Israel, mainly concentrated in southern Tel Aviv. The majority entered Israel illegally via the Egyptian border in the early 2000s. The infiltration largely ended in 2012, when Israel erected a border security fence along its border with Egypt.

However, the Israeli government remains politically divided concerning whether to permit the Eritrean community to stay in Israel or to deport them. Some Eritreans in Israel have the status of 'asylum seekers' and have claimed they will be persecuted if they are sent back to Eritrea, while other portions of the Eritrean community in Israel support the Eritrean regime.

Many Israeli residents in southern Tel Aviv have complained about the surge in crime due to the presence of the large migrant population.

Clashes between various factions in Israel are not a new phenomenon.

In May, one individual was killed and several were injured during clashes between warring Eritrean groups in southern Tel Aviv.

Last September, dozens of Israeli police officers were wounded during massive riots between supporters and opponents of the Eritrean regime in southern Tel Aviv.

“The police turned to the demonstrators, both the opponents of the regime and the supporters, and asked them to hold a legal protest,” Israel Police Commander Haim Bobalil stated at the time.

“From the early hours of the morning, there was an understanding that there was an intention for clashes, at one point, the incident got out of control because they arrived and started throwing stones at the police, they arrived armed with clubs and knives with the aim of harming anyone who tries to arrest somebody… The police will continue to make arrests,” the police commander vowed.

Following the massive September riots, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested the Israeli government consider deporting violent Eritrean rioters, however, no decisive action has been taken.