Thousands of Ukrainian refugees living in Israel could lose their status and face deportation at the end of the month, the Israeli newspaper „Haaretz“ reports.
The risk of mass deportation arose due to the authorities' prolonged delay in deciding whether to extend the group protection granted to them after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine in February 2022.
A few weeks after the fighting began, then-Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked announced that Israel would grant temporary protection to 20,000 Ukrainian refugees, most of whom were in Israel without legal status before the outbreak of hostilities. She promised protection for an additional 5,000 Ukrainians who fled their country after February 2022. Shaked resigned at the end of that year.
In the absence of the current interior minister, who initially introduced group protection as a temporary measure, the authority on this issue was transferred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is also acting interior minister.
The initial residence permits were issued for three months, after which the refugees were granted a residence and work permit, which required annual renewal. Although the permits expire next month, Israel has not yet decided whether to renew them, reports “Haaretz“.
In May, the UN refugee agency reiterated its position on the inadmissibility of deporting Ukrainian refugees and called for a comprehensive extension of the temporary protection policy. In June, the European Union extended the protection of Ukrainian citizens until March 2027. Three months ago, the United Kingdom decided to extend the protection for another two years, and the United States extended it until October 2026.
Several human rights non-profit organizations have appealed to the Director General of the Israel Population and Immigration Agency, Boaz Yosef, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, requesting an extension of the temporary protection for Ukrainians.
In response to an inquiry from Haaretz, the Population and Immigration Service said that the matter is still under consideration and a decision will be made soon.
Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Israel after February 2022 do not have work visas, but the state promised in 2011 not to fine employers who hire foreigners with protected status.
Approximately 24,000 Ukrainians who entered in the country as tourists, are eligible for this status. Extending their protected status provides them with access to social services and protection from deportation.
This status can only be extended for a minimum of 12 months, which creates difficulties for the Interior Ministry. As Israel's Channel 9 notes, the ministry fears that a one-year extension will lead to "further entrenchment" of families and subsequent attempts to apply for permanent residency based on the interests of their children.
Given these factors, the Interior Ministry is likely to delay issuing recommendations to the prime minister until the last minute. If a ceasefire is declared between Russia and Ukraine in the coming weeks, the status may not be extended at all or may be extended only for a limited period - for example, only until the end of the school year.