African asylum seekers converge on the Holot ‘open’ detention center to demand the release of those held there, and call for a comprehensive solution for their community.
Photos and text by: Yotam Ronen, Oren Ziv and Tali Mayer/Activestills.org
African asylum seekers walk into the Holot detention center in Israel’s southern Negev desert, on February 17, 2014.
African asylum seekers from different cities in Israel held a two-day protest outside Holot detention center in the Negev, on February 17-18, 2014. Around 500 African immigrants gathered outside the center to call on Israeli authorities for the release of all people imprisoned under the Prevention of Infiltration Law, and find a comprehensive solution for the asylum seeker community.
The detainees of Holot joined the demonstration from inside the detention center. The protest is just the latest action in the mass struggle of asylum seekers in Israel that began in December 2013 with the “March for Freedom.”
New arrivals to Holot detention center, February 17, 2014.
African asylum seekers gaze at Israeli military helicopters during a protest outside the Holot detention center, in Israel’s southern Negev desert, February 17, 2014.
The protesters were calling for the closing of the prison and for the recognition of the refugee rights of African asylum seekers living in Israel.
African asylum seekers take part in a protest outside the Holot detention center, in Israel’s southern Negev desert, February 17, 2014.
African asylum seekers in Holot detention center join the protest from behind the prison’s fence, as other asylum seekers protest outside the facility in Israel’s southern Negev desert, February 17, 2014.
African asylum seekers inside Holot detention center protest behind the prison’s fence as others protest outside.
As darkness falls, African asylum seekers occupy the ground outside Holot detention center.
African asylum seekers gather around a fire after taking part in a protest outside the Holot detention center.
African asylum seekers wake up in the early morning for a second day of protest outside the Holot detention center.
African asylum seekers gather around a fire in the early morning of a second day of protest outside the Holot detention center.
African asylum seekers gather around the fire in the early morning of a second day of protest outside the Holot detention center where hundreds of Aylum seekers are jailed, February 18, 2014 in the southern Negev desert of Israel.
African asylum seekers sleep in the early morning of a second day of protest outside the Holot detention center where hundreds of asylum seekers are jailed.
African asylum seekers wake up in the early morning of a second day of protest outside the Holot detention center.
African asylum seekers wake up in the early morning of a second day of protest outside the Holot detention center.
Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war – the atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel and the massive retaliatory Israeli attacks on Gaza. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing violence.
We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed unleashed by these events has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Hamas’ murderous assault in southern Israel has devastated and shocked the country to its core. Israel’s retaliatory bombing of Gaza is wreaking destruction on the already besieged strip and killing a ballooning number of civilians. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to escalate their attacks on Palestinians.
This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 13 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, the entrenched occupation, and an increasingly normalized siege on Gaza.
We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives.
Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is the leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists and activists can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.