Ethiopian asylum seekers in Israel face possible deportation as war resumes
Israel is preparing to return Ethiopian asylum seekers after declaring Ethiopia safe, even as fighting flares up in Tigray.
Ethiopian journalist Luwam Habteab, who fled detention in 2020, is among more than 1,300 Ethiopians with open asylum applications in Israel. The Interior Ministry revoked the collective protection status in January 2024, judging Ethiopia safe for return, but a July collapse of the 2022 peace deal sparked fresh fighting across Tigray, Afar and Amhara. As Israel heads toward national elections, some politicians label asylum seekers as “infiltrators,” heightening public hostility.
Lawyers and NGOs say the renewed interview system places a heavy evidentiary burden on applicants and seldom leads to successful outcomes. The cost of appealing a denial can reach $8,000, leaving many families unable to afford further legal action.
Why it matters
The possible deportation of vulnerable refugees highlights the intersection of immigration policy, political rhetoric, and renewed conflict in Ethiopia.
In this story
