adminTEL AVIV. – Pilots from Israeli’s national airline, El AI, are reportedly refusing to fly African asylum seekers, who are being deported from the Middle East country, saying that they disagree with Israel’s strict new laws.
According to The Times of Israel, the move by the pilots was mainly symbolic as the airline did not have direct flights to the affected African countries.
At least three El Al pilots posted on Facebook that they had refused participating in the government driven deportations which had since been condemned by rights group. Reports said early this month that the Israeli government had issued a notice for thousands of African migrants to leave the country or face imprisonment.
Under the programme, at least 38 000 migrants who entered Israel illegally, mainly Eritreans and Sudanese, would have until the end of March to leave. Each would receive a plane ticket and $3 500 to do so. After the deadline, this amount would decrease and those who continued to refuse to go would face arrest. – AFP
Online Reporter