Dozens of people have been injured in Israel, some of them seriously, in clashes between asylum seekers from Eritrea, supporters and opponents of the Asmara government and Israeli agents, official sources said.

Bavaria Riot: Migrants Attack Policemen, Set Refugee Centre on Fire

Police said that a group of Eritreans boycotted an event at the Eritrean embassy in south Tel Aviv by throwing “planks and stones”, smashing nearby tents and setting fires. Hundreds of officers were deployed in the area and dispersed the rioters with tear gas, stun bombs and even gunfire.

Victims arrived en masse at hospitals with gunshot and knife wounds, as well as serious head injuries, on a scale not seen since the Second Intifada in 2000, local media reported, according to Ichilov hospital director general Ronni Gamzu. Among the wounded were 30 policemen, mostly with minor injuries, emergency services said.

Israel: Netanyahu wants immediate deportation of Eritreans after Tel Aviv violence https://t.co/sxMAi6Xum8

— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) September 3, 2023

The head of the Yarkon district police, Haim Bublil, told the local press that he was “surprised by the intensity of the violence”, while representatives of the Eritrean community in Israel claim that they warned the authorities a week ago. “The officers fired their weapons when they felt their lives were in danger,” said another police spokesman, commenting on the events that have also led to 39 arrests.

Outbreaks of violence within the Eritrean asylum seeker community have occurred before Israel. The most serious incident occurred in 2020, when one person was stabbed to death.

Just look at this. Eritreans adding diversity to Israel. pic.twitter.com/Nh8GdhBx2P

— David Vance (@DVATW) September 3, 2023

Since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia 30 years ago, there have been no new elections and the local government requires exit visas for its citizens to leave the country. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Eritrea for different countries and an estimated 25,000 Eritreans currently live in Israel.

-Thailand News (TN)