President Shimon Peres asked Interior Minister Eli Yishai to avoid deporting the children of foreign workers in Israel. In a letter sent by Peres, he called on Yishai to work towards alternative solutions.

"We cannot remain apathetic to the fate of the children and youths. I am aware of the situation's complexity, but believe that a fair solution should be found in the spirit of tradition and legacy of our people and within the framework of the law," he wrote.