This law, along with the entire political establishment, encourages Eritrean and Sudanese refugees, who fled brutal and dangerous dictatorships, forced conscription, civil wars, and threats for being human rights activists to return to their home countries. But, if they return to their countries of origin, they will immediately be thrown into jail or murdered. Who in their right mind can choose either option, stay and face destitution and homelessness or go back to one’s home country for a summary execution.

Let’s also not forget that these asylum seekers and their Israeli-born children have no legal status. As a result, they are not eligible for basic social benefits Israeli citizens enjoy, such as health insurance, social security, higher education, and freedom of movement. It’s unbelievably ridiculous that a child born in Israel and educated in Jewish Israeli schools cannot go to a university at age 18. Furthermore, this young adult can potentially be taken by force to the isolated Holot Detention Center in the Negev Desert solely because he is a single male African refugee over age 18.

But Israel is the leading democracy in the Middle East, right?