Irregular Migration to Israel: The Sociopolitical Perspective

Euro-Mediterranean Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM)This paper focuses on socio-political dynamics in Israel in relation to increases in the irregular migration of non-Jewish workers, as well as refugees and asylum seekers from Africa. The main argument outlined here is that despite the significant ethnocentric ideologies and territorial controls that characterise Israel, the country is witnessing a significant influx of non-Jewish migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. The theoretical insight that stems from this paper is that the irregular migration of “foreigners” to Israel challenges Israeli politics of identity and attitudes towards the “Other”, whilst simultaneously unveiling complexity in Israel's ethno-national identity and collective history