It may seem harsh but in the long run it will probably benefit the immigrants. If they know they can't get in, maybe they will stop trying to cross the border. It is a very dangerous border to cross. Yesterday the Washington Post had a story of a young mother who was killed crossing with her family. The Egyptian border guards shoot those crossing the border. They started shooting after they heard a baby cry.
Israel will in future turn away all illegal entrants from Sudan's war-torn region of Darfur, a top official says.(via)
The policy applies to new arrivals only, while some 500 people from Darfur already in Israel will be permitted to stay for "humanitarian reasons".
Israel is struggling to stem the flow of Africans entering the country via its southern border with Egypt.
Overnight, Israel handed 48 Sudanese people back to Egypt, according to Egyptian security officials.
