Jerusalem: Church appeals on behalf of 500 Eritrean & Sudanese refugees

Father David Neuhaus SJ

On Tuesday, August 25, some 500 Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers were released from a detention centre in Holot in the Negev Desert, where they had been confined in contravention of their fundamental rights. Now they need to settle back into society, find work and places to live.

The Jerusalem African Community Centre NGO (JACC) has committed itself to help the refugees find work, and they are also looking for temporary lodging for them, for a week or two.

Father David Neuhaus SJ, Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics said: "Taking into account Pope Francis' appeals, in view of the Year of Mercy approaching" "it would be very significant if the Church of Jerusalem opened its doors to some of these people".

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in their statement: "If you have a room or more than one to accommodate one of our asylum seeker brothers, please contact Father David Neuhaus SJ (neuhaussj@gmail.com - cell 054-7822843)."

Israel has built a fence along its southern border with Egypt to keep out new arrivals, but more than 45,000 African asylum seekers are already in the country, according to the Israeli Interior Ministry. Most come from the war-torn countries of Eritrea and Sudan. Many say they are fleeing conflict and persecution and are seeking refugee status. But Israel says they are economic migrants in search of work. The migrants are legally barred from working, and also cannot go to the cities of Tel Aviv or Eilat, where the largest communities of Africans are located and they might find support.

Read more about the JACC here: www.jacc.org.il/#!home-eng/czqq