New statistics presented by the Israeli government to the Supreme Court show that there has been a significant increase in the number of infiltrators leaving Israel after the Deposit Law took effect, Israel Hayom reported.
The statistics were presented as part of an appeal to force the State to cancel the Deposit Law.
The Deposit Law deducts 20% from infiltrators' salaries, in an attempt to encourage them to leave Israel of their own accord. The infiltrators receive this money when they agree to leave Israel.
The law aims to end the flow of cash via remittances from the infiltrators to their families abroad, thereby reducing the gain from remaining illegally in Israel.
According to Israel Hayom, since Israel began enforcing the law in May 2017, there has been nearly a sevenfold increase in the number of infiltrators redeeming their money when they leave Israel. In 2017, 12 infiltrators redeemed their money each month, while in 2018, the number jumped to 52 infiltrators per month. In the first half of 2019, 82 infiltrators left Israel each month, for a 57% rise since 2018.
According to the statistics, 1,135 infiltrators redeemed their money, which totaled 12,800,576 NIS ($3,592,226), or approximately 11,500 NIS ($3,227) per infiltrator. The average deposit, including the employer's share, was 2,446 NIS ($686) per month. A total of 300 million NIS ($8,4190,500) has been deposited so far.
The statistics also show that the success comes despite the fact that the law is only partially enforced: Deposits were made for only 17,000 of the 34,000 infiltrators, and most employers make the deposits for only a few months. Regular and consistent deposits beginning in May 2017 were only made for 68 infiltrators.
Israel Hayom quoted Yonatan Jakubowicz, Executive Director of the Israel Immigration Policy Center, who initiated the bill: "These statistics prove that the law is achieving its goal, and that the more time passes and the more the money adds up, we see an even more significant number of those leaving. After we closed the Holot detention center, the law became even more important, since it became the only tool to remove infiltrators from Israel. In addition, one-third of Eritrea's gross national income comes from the money sent by expatriates around the world, and a total of 300 million NIS ($8,4190,500) collected in the fund may well bring about a change in the Eritrean government's policy. The government must invest all the resources necessary in order to enforce the law."