African immigration tragedy continues

Israel and Egypt both have to find a more humane and reasonable way to deal with the problem of African immigration. The UN and its agencies must help. It is impossible to expect that Israel will hold all the immigrants fleeing Africa. On the other hand it is totally unacceptable to look on while people are being killed for trying to reach freedom and a better life.

 

Ami Isseroff

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Last update - 16:05 28/06/2008    
Egyptian police kill African man, 7-year-old girl at Israel border
By Reuters

Egyptian police shot and killed two African migrants, including a seven-year-old Sudanese girl, as they tried to cross the border into Israel on Saturday, security and hospital sources said.

 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the security sources said an Egyptian patrol opened fire on the migrants to stop them getting across the border south of the Rafah crossing.
 
They added that seven other African migrants had been detained, including the dead child's mother.

 

Their deaths bring to 16 the number of migrants killed at the border this year.

 

Hospital sources said the other victim was an unidentified African in his thirties, killed by a gunshot wound to his back.

 

Egypt has pursued a crackdown on African migrants that has seen up to 1,000 Eritrean asylum seekers deported since June 11, despite UN objections.