Jerusalem – Israel is expelling an additional 150 South Sudanese as part of its campaign to reduce the number of African migrants who have slipped illegally into the Jewish state.
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Authorities are offering the migrants cash to leave voluntarily and threatening them with arrest if they don’t.
Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad says the latest flight with the expelled migrants is to leave after midnight Monday.
Some 60,000 Africans, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, have slipped into Israel from Egypt since 2005. The influx has concerned officials and caused friction with Israeli locals.
Most of the migrants fled repressive regimes and Israel cannot expel them. Earlier this month, authorities began rounding up migrants from South Sudan, which has friendly relations with Israel and can be expected to treat its returnees reasonably well.