Participants in the Migrant Hub Network exchange programme. Mention Tel Aviv, and perhaps it conjures images of its vibrant start-up scene, surfer’s beaches, or more generally Israel’s tumultuous history, its battles to influence foreign governments, or the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories. Yet there is a hidden refugee population that lives in a state of legal and social purgatory.
Few know that the south of Tel Aviv is home 70% of the refugee population in Israel. Roughly 46,000 East African refugees, largely from Eritrea (73%) and Sudan (19%), are struggling to make Israel home. Individuals who have escaped genocide, persecution, forced military enlistment, and horrific experiences at the hands of traffickers in the Sinai desert, are in a state of limbo and have been largely overlooked by the international community.
In spite of public sentiment against refugees communities, solidarity movements in Tel Aviv are standing alongside them. In December of last year, a delegation of representatives from the forefront of the civil society refugee response in Berlin travelled to Tel Aviv to learn about the situation and share best practices. The exchange was part of the Migration Hub Network exchange programme to connect civil society organisations across the world working in migration, inclusion and refugee support services.
