By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has hinted on harsh steps including the immediate deportation of all Africans that he described as “illegal infiltrators”.
This is in response to riots in Tel Aviv on Saturday involving Eritrean asylum seekers.
At least 170 people were injured in violent clashes with police as well as in-fighting between groups of supporters and opponents of the Eritrean regime.
Netanyahu said “a red line” had been crossed.
Saturday’s clash sparked off after activists opposed to the Eritrean government said that they had asked Israeli authorities to cancel an event organised by their country’s embassy.
BBC reports that they broke through a police barricade around the venue, which was then vandalised.
Netanyahu and others in his cabinet have blamed the Supreme Court for blocking earlier attempted to push migrants out of Israel.
“Now there remains a serious problem with the illegal infiltrators in south Tel Aviv and elsewhere,” the prime minister said at Sunday’s special government meeting.
He added, “We want harsh measures against the rioters, including the immediate deportation of those who took part.”
He requested that the ministers present him with plans “for the removal of all the other illegal infiltrators”.
During the Saturday’s disturbances, police in riot gear fired tear gas, stun grenades and live rounds as officers on horseback tried to push the protesters away, the report says.
Israeli police, several dozen of whom were among the injured said they felt their lives were at risk.
The divisions within Eritrea over the rule of President Isaias Afwerki have spilled over into the diaspora, and this is the latest outbreak of violence in recent weeks.
Residents said the streets of central Tel Aviv sounded like a war zone over several hours, with police helicopters hovering overhead and sirens blaring.
