Countries
1: Africa.
2: Americas.
3: Asia-Pacific.
4: Europe.
5: Middle East .
- 5.1: Bahrain.
- 5.2: Israel.
  - 5.2.1: Introduction.
  - 5.2.2: List of Detention Sites.
  - 5.2.3: Map of Detention Sites.
  - 5.2.4: Country Links.
  - 5.2.5: Reference List.
- 5.3: Lebanon.

Israel Profile

Quick Facts

Prisons used for the detention of migrants: 3 (2011)

Migrant detention facilities: 3 (2011)

Est. total immigration detention capacity: 2,500 (2011)

Max. length of administrative detention: No limit

Asylum seekers: 30,000 (2010)

Migrant workers: 300,000 (2010)

Est. undocumented foreign workers: 120,000 - 300,000 (2010)

Number of deportations: 3,300 (2008)

Last updated: February 2011

Israel Detention Profile

Reference List

Al Jazeera. 2010a. “Israel Plans Wall for Egypt Border. Al Jazeera. 11 January 2010. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/201011123810649163.html
Al Jazeera. 2010b. “Israel mulls migrant holding centre.” Al Jazeera. 28 November 2010. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/11/2010112883515640753.html (accessed 5 December 2010).
Amnesty International (AI). Undated. “About Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel.” http://www.amnesty.org.il/?CategoryID=319&ArticleID=347 (accessed 31 May 2010).
Amnesty International (AI). 2010b. ‘Anti-Infiltration Bill’ (no date). http://www.amnesty.org.il/?CategoryID=319&ArticleID=348 (accessed 31 May 2010).
Amnesty International (AI). 2010. ‘New Israeli military order could increase expulsions of West Bank Palestinians’ 28 April 2010. http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/new-israeli-military-order-could-increase-expulsions-west-bank-palestinians-2010-04 (accessed 21 June 2010).
Associated Press (AP), 2010. ‘Israel approves detention center for migrants’ 28 November 2010. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iwDG0HHr-TPj0yRCIIfF9sBQbsTA?docId=e571bff9fe2c41869ff4086321f7987a (accessed 04 December 2010).
Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) et al. 2010. The Infiltration Prevention Bill: Lies and Reality. 2 February 2010. http://www.hotline.org.il/english/pdf/Anti_Infiltration_Proposed_Law_Lies_and_Reality_Eng.pdf (accessed June 7 2010).
Barker, Anne. 2010. ‘Israeli decision to deport 400 children under fire.’ ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/05/2973979.htm (accessed 13 January 2010).
BBC, 2010. ‘Israel starts building barrier on Egypt border.’ BBC News. 22 November 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11809957 (accessed 5 December 2010).
Berman, Yonatan (Hotline for Migrant Workers). 2011. Email correspondence with Michael Flynn (Global Detention Project). 23 February 2011. Geneva, Switzerland.
Berman, Yonatan (Hotline for Migrant Workers). 2011b. Telephone interview by Michael Flynn (Global Detention Project). 25 February 2011. Geneva, Switzerland.
Berman, Jonathan. 2007. Freedom Inc. Binding Migrant Workers to Manpower Corporations in Israel. Kav LaOved and Hotline for Migrant Workers. August 2007. http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/userFiles/news1075_file.pdf (accessed 22 July 2010).
B’Tselem. 2010. ‘Palestinian and Israeli Human Rights Groups Call for End to Israeli Military West Bank Deportation Policy’. 13 May 2010. http://www.btselem.org/English/press_releases/20100513.asp (accessed 17 May 2010).
B’Tselem. 2010b. ‘Figures on administrative detention’. November 2010. http://www.btselem.org/English/Administrative_Detention/Statistics.asp (accessed 5 December 2010).
B’Tselem. ‘The basis for administrative detention in Israeli law’ (no date). http://www.btselem.org/english/Administrative_Detention/Israeli_Law.asp (accessed 17 May 2010)
B’Tselem 2. ‘Criticism of administrative detention under the Administrative Detention Order’ (no date). http://www.btselem.org/english/Administrative_Detention/Criticism_on_the_Administrative_detention_order.asp (accessed 17 May 2010).
Branovsky, Yael. 2010. “Report: 35 foreign kids kept in prison.” Ynet News. September 13, 2010. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3953573,00.html
Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). 2011. Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 4 February 2011. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/co/CEDAW-C-ISR-CO-5.pdf.
Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM). 2008. “Israel: POL - Police records (apprehended cases): Foreign workers without permit deported from Israel 1995-2006 and in percentages of total undocumented workers.” CARIM. Last Updated: 21 April 2008. http://www.carim.org/index.php?callContent=59&callTable=1229.
CNN. 2010. “Israel clamps down on 'infiltrators' seeking work.” CNN. 28 November 2010. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/28/israel.egypt.border.barrier/index.html (accessed 1 February 2011).
Dahan, Yossi, and Amiram Gill. 2006. “The Deportation of Migrant Workers form Israel: Theory, Policy, and Practice.” Unpublished revision and translation of article in Hebrew in 10(1) Mispat U’Mimshal 347 (2006). http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=yossi_dahan (accessed 3 February 2011).
Dayan, Aryeh. 2003. 'Slave trade' at Ma'asiyahu’ Haaretz, October 24, 2003. http://www.haaretz.com/slave-trade-at-ma-asiyahu-1.103599 (accessed 27 June 2010).
Eglash, Ruth. 2010. “US State Department faults Interior Ministry’s Oz unit.” Jerusalem Post. 15 June 2010.
Eglash, Ruth. 2009. “Cancellation of Gedera-Hadera policy highlights need for clearer refugee approach.” Jerusalem Post. 30 July 2009. http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=150426 (accessed 27 July 2010).
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN). 2010. ‘The EMHRN condemns Israeli Military Orders Threatening the Mass Transfer of West Bank Palestinians’. 13 April 2010. http://en.euromedrights.org/index.php/news/emhrn_releases/67/4300.html (accessed 21 June 2010).
Fendel, Hillel. 2009. "Interior Ministry to "Police" Foreign Workers." Arutz Sheva. 2 August 2009. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129836 (accessed 27 July 2010).
Friedman, Ron. 2009. “Major expulsion of immigrants planned.” Jerusalem Post. 22 July 2009.
http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/media-view_eng.asp?id=2425 (accessed 31 May).
Goren, Yuval. 2011. “Next week: The facility will open and will begin a wave of arrests of workers.” NRG Ma'ariv. 23 February 2011. http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART2/215/423.html?hp=1&loc=8 (in Hebrew).
Guarnieri, Mya. 2009. “Israel is at War Again.” Jewcy. 20 July 2009. http://www.jewcy.com/tags/haderagedera_law (accessed 27 July 2010).
Guarnieri, Mya. 2010. ‘One of the most dangerous bills ever presented’ Huffington Post. February 2010. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mya-guarnieri/one-of-the-most-dangerous_b_449394.html (accessed 7 June 2010).
Guarnieri, Mya. 2010b. “Israel’s 'Oz' immigration unit strikes fear in the streets” The National. May 16 2010. http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100517/FOREIGN/705169933/1002 (accessed 31 May 2010).
Haaretz. 2010. “Shame at Saharonim.” Haaretz. 28 April 2010. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/shame-at-saharonim-1.285146.
Hass, Amira. 2010. "IDF order will enable mass deportation from West Bank." Haaretz. 11 April 2010. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/idf-order-will-enable-mass-deportation-from-west-bank-1.780 (accessed 21 June 2010).
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2008. Sinai Perils: Risks to Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers in Egypt and Israel. November 12, 2008. http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2008/11/12/sinai-perils-0 (accessed 21 July 2010).
Hotline for Migrant Workers (HMW). 2010. “Unlawful long-time detention of asylum seekers.” September 2001.
Hotline for Migrant Workers (HMW). 2009. A Decade of Activism for Migrants' Rights: Facts and Figures. 9 November 2009. http://www.hotline.org.il/english/pdf/Press_Release_Decade_Report_%20Eng.pdf (accessed 7 June 2010).
Hotline for Migrant Workers (HMW). 2009b. Annual Report 2009. http://www.hotline.org.il/english/pdf/2009_annual_report.pdf (accessed 13 January 2011).
Hotline for Migrant Workers (HMW). 2007. Annual Report 2007. http://www.hotline.org.il/english/pdf/2007_Annual_Activities_Report.pdf (accessed 21 July 2010).
Infiltration Prevention Law (proposed law 2010, in Hebrew)http://www.knesset.gov.il/Laws/Data/BillGoverment/381/381.pdf
IRIN. 2010. “Israel: border barrier to keep asylum-seekers out.” 11 November 2010. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=91058 (accessed 5 December 2010).
Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI). Undated. “African Asylum Seekers in Israel: Frequently Asked Questions.” http://www.ajc.org/atf/cf/%7B42d75369-d582-4380-8395-d25925b85eaf%7D/AFRICANASYLUMFAQS.PDF (accessed 31 May 2010).
Kav LaOved—Workers Hotline. 2007. “Demand that State open shelter for victims of human trafficking for forced labor.” 15 January 2010.
http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/media-view_eng.asp?id=240 (accessed 17 May 2010).
Kav LaOved and Hotline for Migrant Workers (HMW). 2003. Immigration Administration or Expulsion Unit? Joint Report May 2003. http://www.hotline.org.il/english/pdf/Hotline_and_Kav_Laoved_paper_on_Immigration_Police_May_2003_Eng.pdf (accessed 21 July 2010).
Kruger, Martha. 2005. Migration Information: Israel: Balancing Demographics in the Jewish State. http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=321 (accessed 17 May 2010).
Lee, Vered. 2009. ‘How did I vote?’ Haaretz. 7 July 2009. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/how-did-i-vote-1.279503 (accessed 21 June 2010).
Levi Julian, Hana, and Shimon Cohen. 2009. “Refugee Minors to be Transferred from Givon Prison.” IsraelNationalNews.com, 26 November 2009. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/134637.
Lis, Jonathan. 2010. "As deadline looms, ministers go to bat for migrant kids." Haaretz. 4 October 2010. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/as-deadline-looms-ministers-go-to-bat-for-migrant-kids-1.317001 (accessed 13 January 2011).
Livneh, Neri. 2009. "The Gedera-Hadera Distortion." Haaretz. 9 July 2009. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-gedera-hadera-distortion-1.279627 (accessed 27 July 2010).
Mark, Neriya. 2009. (Kav LaOved). Refugees and Asylum Seekers – 2008 Report. 10 May 2009. http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/media-view_eng.asp?id=2279 (accessed 31 May 2010).
McCarthy, Rory. 2010. “Israel to build surveillance fence along Egyptian border”. Guardian. 11 January 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/11/israel-fence-egypt (accessed 17 May 2010).
Order no. 1650: Order regarding Prevention of Infiltration (Amendment no. 2) (2010)
http://www.hamoked.org.il/items/112301_eng.pdf
Order no. 329: Order regarding Prevention of Infiltration (1960)http://www.hamoked.org.il/items/112300_eng.pdf
Paiss, Naomi. 2009. "Native-born Children of Foreign Workers Pose Dilemma for Israel." New Israel Fund. August 13, 2009. http://www.nif.org/media-center/nif-in-the-news/native-born-children-of.html (accessed 27 June 2010).
Polgat Jeans Ltd. and 50 Others vs. the State of Israel. High Justice Court 9722/04. Verdict, 7 December 2006.
Prevention of Infiltration Law (1954)http://www.israellawresourcecenter.org/emergencyregs/fulltext/preventioninfiltrationlaw.htm
Sanders, Edmund. 2010. “Israel to deport hundreds of migrant workkers’ children.” Los Angeles Times. 2 August 2010. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/02/world/la-fg-israel-foreign-workers-20100802 (accessed 5 December 2010).
Shani ADA Ltd. et al. vs. SoI. High Justice Court 4410/02. Verdict 3 December 2006.
Ravid, Barak. 2010. “Netanyahu: illegal African immigrants - a threat to Israel's Jewish character.” Haaretz. 18 July 2010. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/netanyahu-illegal-african-immigrants-a-threat-to-israel-s-jewish-character-1.302653 (accessed 5 December 2010).
Rosen, Laura. 2010. “An Ugly Attack.” Politico. 22 October 2010. http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1010/An_ugly_attack.html (accessed 3 February 2010).
Sinai, Ruth. 2005. "Removal of foreign workers - 'a series of failures.'" Haaretz. 9 May 2005.http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/removal-of-foreign-workers-a-series-of-failures-1.158065 (accessed 27 June 2010).
State of Israel, Ministry of Interior, Population Immigration and Border Authority. 2011. “Procedure for Handling Political Asylum Seekers in Israel.” State of Israel. 2 January 2011.
UNHRC. 2010. “2010 Regional Operations Profile: Middle East Working Environment.” UNHCR. http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e4864b6 (accessed 17 May 2010).
UNHCR. 2010b. 2009 Global Trends. UNHCR, Division of Programme Support and Management. 15 June 2010. http://www.unhcr.org/4c11f0be9.html.
UNHCR. 2009. Global Report 2008. UN High Commissioner for Refugees. 2009. http://www.unhcr.org/gr08/index.html.
UNHCR. 2009b. "World Refugee Survey 2009 – Israel." United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 17 June 2009 http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a40d2a971.html (accessed 31 May 2010).
UNHCR. 2007. "Q&A: Growing caseload of asylum seekers for UNHCR offices in Israel." Interview with former Israeli diplomat Mickey Bavly and honorary representative for UNHCR in Jerusalem since 1999. 13 July 2007. http://www.unhcr.org/469797404.html (accessed 17 May 2010).
Weiler-Polak, Dana. 2009. “Israel's 'hot return' of Sudan refugees prompts UN concern.” BBC. 30 November 2009. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-s-hot-return-of-sudan-refugees-prompts-un-concern-1.3150 (accessed 2 February 2011).
Weiler-Polak, Dana. 2009. “As Israeli human trafficking rises, immigration police remains ineffective.” Haaretz. October 21, 2009. http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/media-view_eng.asp?id=2600 (accessed 17 May 2010).
Weiler-Polak, Dana. 2009b. "Oz unit deported just 700 foreign workers; 2,500 left voluntarily." Haaretz. October 19, 2009. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/oz-unit-deported-just-700-foreign-workers-2-500-left-voluntarily-1.5879 (accessed 31 May 2010).
Wheeler, Carolynne. 2007. “Israel detains Darfur refugees in desert 'prison'” Telegraph. 15 July 2007. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1557515/Israel-detains-Darfur-refugees-in-desert-prison.html (accessed 31 May 2010).
United Nations (UN). 2010. "Israeli Military Orders ‘In Breach of International Human Rights Law’ Warns UN Special Rapporteur." UN News and Media. 19 April 2010. http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/5E8B8CEF12412AE8C125770A0032BB78?OpenDocument (accessed 21 June 2010).