Israeli military recruits African Asylum-Seekers for War in Gaza in exchange for residency but fail to deliver

In a controversial move, the Israeli military has reportedly recruited African asylum-seekers to participate Its war on Gaza.

According to the report, the Israeli military has reportedly been recruiting African asylum-seekers to support its war efforts in Gaza, offering promises of permanent residency in return. But refugee advocacy groups say they have reason to doubt that recruits are receiving what was promised.

This decision has sparked debate and raised concerns about the implications of using vulnerable populations in warfare. The recruitment of asylum-seekers for military purposes raises ethical questions and highlights the complex dynamics of the ongoing conflict in the region.

A report from France 24 states, that approximately 30,000 asylum-seekers, most from Sudan and Eritrea, resided in Israel as of 2020 but fewer than 1% of asylum claims are approved, according to Shira Abbo, director of public policy at Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, Israel’s leading refugee advocacy organisation.

“For many, their requests are not denied but pending for five, 10 years or more, leaving them in legal limbo,” Abbo said.  

The attacks of October 7, said three asylum seekers were among 1,100 killed, set off a wave of volunteerism among those living and working in Israel. Many asylum seekers, desperate to solidify their legal status, offered to enlist in civilian command centres and agricultural work. It was then, according to Haaretz, that military officials saw an opportunity to leverage this desire.

One asylum seeker, identified only as “A” by Haaretz, shared his experience. Having arrived in Israel at the age of 16, he sought to integrate into society by joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). At the start of the war, someone claiming to be a police officer instructed him over the phone to report immediately to a security facility.

“They told me they were looking for special people to join the army. They told me this was a life-or-death war for Israel,” he told Haaretz.

After several meetings with officials, A was informed that, if he enlisted, he would undergo two weeks of training alongside other asylum seekers and receive documents from the state of Israel.  

However, he ultimately decided that military life was not for him and withdrew from the programme before training commenced.  

A., arrived in Israel at age 16, as part of the big wave of asylum seekers. The temporary status he holds provides him with most of the rights afforded to Israelis, but it must be renewed periodically with the Interior Ministry’s Population and Immigration Authority and does not guarantee him permanent status. In the past, he wanted to enlist in the army, like many asylum seekers who see the army as the best way to integrate into Israel society.

The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants has expressed concern over the lack of transparency, stating that while rumours of the benefits of military service have been circulating, the organisation has not been able to confirm any cases in which what has been promised has been delivered.

The recruitment practice has also been met with criticism for creating a quid pro quo when asylum should be decided on the basis of merit.

“Asylum status is granted due to persecution, not as part of a deal,” said Julia Grignon, professor of international humanitarian law and research director at the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM). “Enlisting in the military should never be a condition for obtaining refugee status.”

Some have argued that Israel is exploiting vulnerable people who fled their homelands in search of safety.

“The little information we have is alarming,” Abbo said. “Rights should come before obligations. It’s dangerous to recruit individuals without rights and expect them to risk their lives based on vague promises.”  

The Israeli defense establishment maintains that its actions comply with the law.  

The reports come amid a shortage of Israeli soldiers as the country’s assault on Gaza nears the one-year mark. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in June that ultra-Orthodox Jews, historically exempt from conscription, would now be required to serve.