In an about-turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled the refugee agreement that he had reached with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and announced only yesterday, after caving in to pressure from coalition partners Minister of Education Naftali Bennett and Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon.
"I paid close attention to the many comments about the agreement. After rethinking the advantages and disadvantages, I have decided to cancel the agreement. Despite the legal constraints and accumulating international difficulties, we will continue acting with determination to explore all the available options for removing the infiltrators,” Netanyahu announced at his meeting today with residents of south Tel Aviv.
The agreement with the UN High Commission on Refugees was to have provided for transferring 16,000 people to Western countries, while regularizing the status of about the same number. There were 6,000 more people for whom a solution is needed. An administration for reconstruction of south Tel Aviv was to have been formed.
Netanyahu and Minister of the Interior and Development of the Negev and the Galilee Arye Deri convened a press conference yesterday at which they praised the agreement, cited its advantages, and emphasized that it would improve neighborhoods in south Tel Aviv. Six hours later, the detailed explanation and pragmatism gave way to renewed incitement by Netanyahu against leftist groups, and the prime minister announced the suspension of the agreement pending a meeting with residents of southern Tel Aviv.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 3, 2018
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