Israel now wants voluntary exit of African migrants

The plan to forcibly deport thousands of illegal African migrants has been shelved by Israel, but is encouraging voluntary deportation.

In a written response to the country’s Supreme Court, the government said forced removal of the migrants “is no longer on the agenda”.

However, Israel’s immigration authorities are still seeking ways to deport migrants voluntarily, it said.

The fate of Israel’s roughly 30,000 illegal African migrants has become a hugely contentious issue.

The supreme court previously suspended a plan to expel the migrants – mostly from Eritrea and Sudan – unless they voluntarily accepted a cash lump sum and a plane ticket out of the country.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then cancelled a UN deal to resettle the migrants in Western nations.

Under the deal, Israel would give…