The Israeli military has reportedly been recruiting African asylum-seekers to support its war efforts in Gaza, offering promises of permanent residency in return. But refugee advocacy groups say they have reason to doubt that recruits are receiving what was promised.
Israeli media reported on Sunday that the government has been recruiting African asylum-seekers for the war in Gaza in return for being given permanent residency in Israel.
Military sources, speaking to Israel’s Haaretz news outlet, confirmed that the recruitment was being organised “with legal guidance from defense establishment advisers” but the manner in which the recruits will be used has not been made public.
Approximately 30,000 asylum-seekers, most from Sudan and Eritrea, resided in Israel as of 2020 but fewer than 1% of asylum claims are approved, according to Shira Abbo, director of public policy at Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, Israel's leading refugee advocacy organisation.
The UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention states that a refugee is someone who a host state or international body recognises as not being able to return to a home country due to a “well-founded fear of being persecuted”. In contrast, an asylum seeker is someone still awaiting that recognition.
“For many, their requests are not denied but pending for five, 10 years or more, leaving them in legal limbo,” Abbo said.
The war that erupted between Israel and Hamas after the attacks of October 7, in which three asylum seekers were among more than 1,100 killed, set off a wave of volunteerism among those living and working in Israel. Many asylum seekers, desperate to solidify their legal status, offered to enlist in civilian command centres and agricultural work. It was then, according to Haaretz, that military officials saw an opportunity to leverage this desire.
‘A life-or-death war for Israel’
One asylum seeker, identified only as “A” by Haaretz, shared his experience. Having arrived in Israel at the age of 16, he sought to integrate into society by joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). At the start of the war, someone claiming to be a police officer instructed him over the phone to report immediately to a security facility.
"They told me they were looking for special people to join the army. They told me this was a life-or-death war for Israel," he told Haaretz.
After several meetings with officials, A was informed that, if he enlisted, he would undergo two weeks of training alongside other asylum seekers and receive documents from the state of Israel.
However, he ultimately decided that military life was not for him and withdrew from the programme before training commenced.
Unfulfilled promises?
The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants has expressed concern over the lack of transparency, stating that while rumours of the benefits of military service have been circulating, the organisation has not been able to confirm any cases in which what has been promised has been delivered.
The recruitment practice has also been met with criticism for creating a quid pro quo when asylum should be decided on the basis of merit.
“Asylum status is granted due to persecution, not as part of a deal,” said Julia Grignon, professor of international humanitarian law and research director at the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM). “Enlisting in the military should never be a condition for obtaining refugee status.”
Some have argued that Israel is exploiting vulnerable people who fled their homelands in search of safety.
“The little information we have is alarming,” Abbo said. “Rights should come before obligations. It’s dangerous to recruit individuals without rights and expect them to risk their lives based on vague promises.”
The Israeli defense establishment maintains that its actions comply with the law.
The reports come amid a shortage of Israeli soldiers as the country’s war against Hamas nears the one-year mark. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in June that ultra-Orthodox Jews, historically exempt from conscription, would now be required to serve.
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As the conflict continues, questions remain about whether these individuals will ever see the promises made to them fulfilled and what recourse, if any, they might have if the promises are not. Grignon admitted their options are likely limited.
“A UN body may call out Israel’s violation of international law, but that’s about it,” she said.
