Israeli Prime Minister on Tuesday cancelled an agreement with the United Nations refugee agency to relocate African migrants living in the country, just one day after reaching the deal.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he had taken the decision after holding consultations with the residents of south Tel Aviv, where many of the migrants live.
He said he would now consider “all options… to remove the infiltrators”.
Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu announced the deal struck with UNHCR that would see migrants relocated to Western countries including Canada and Italy, with some being given residency within Israel.
Tuesday’s announcement is a U-turn on Monday’s agreement, and now puts the spotlight back on his administration’s handling of migrants.
The UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, said Mr Netanyahu’s decision was a “disappointment” and urged the Israeli government to “consider the matter further”.
Most of the African migrants in Israel are from Eritrea and war-torn South Sudan.
They say they fled danger at home and that it is not safe to return to another African country, but Israel considers the majority of African asylum seekers to be economic migrants.
Israel had earlier this year given the migrants two options; to take $3,500 and a one-way ticket to Africa by April, or face forced deportation or jail.
