Israel, the biblical “promised land” considered to be holy by three different Abrahamic faiths, has grabbed the headlines in Kerala for all the wrong reasons.
First, a farmer who was part of a State government-sponsored ‘farm exposure tour’ went missing in Israel on February 17. It was followed by the disappearance of another six people who were part of a religious tour from Thiruvananthapuram in Israel without a trace.
For Keralites, there appears to be a new-found love for Israel where myths blend into the past and the present. According to statistics from the NoRKA Roots, the field agency of the Department of Non-Resident Keralites, around 489 people have recently migrated to Israel after registering with the NoRKA. But, the actual number would be around 10-20 fold of the registered number of migrants, claim NoRKA sources.
Borgian Solomon, a native of Kollam who migrated to Israel in 2008, says there were only a few Keralites when he reached there. “Now there are many Malayalis here, employed predominantly in the healthcare sector, majority of them working as caregivers. A good number of the Malayali diaspora reached here through illegal means,” says Mr. Solomon, former joint secretary of Israel Malayali Association.
“We know of agencies engaged in helping Malayalis migrate to Israel. Currently, a tourist has to shell out around ₹1.5 lakh for a tour to Israel. But the agency which aids migration charges around ₹4 lakh-₹5 lakh per person. Further, an employee is paid around 35 Shekel (Israel currency) per hour, (one Shekel is equal to ₹23). In short, a migrant can earn about ₹2 lakh per month even during illegal stay, perhaps the main reason for the illegal migrations from Kerala,” points out Mr. Solomon.
Fr. George Joshua, who filed a case with the Kerala Police after six people from the delegation he had led to Israel went missing, says: “I have been engaged in organising holy trips to Israel since 2006. But this is the first time that members of my delegation go missing. However, it is true that Israel has been a major attraction for illegal immigrants from Kerala. They will apply for UN refugee status as soon they land there which will allows them to stay put for some time, and it can be renewed for a certain period.”
Indians often receive refugee status quickly as they are not considered a security threat to Israel. During this period, they can make a living by doing odd jobs. This illegal migration has been going on for a long time and it has now gained renewed momentum since the economic uncertainties in Kerala especially after COVID-19. An Israeli immigration officer will not enter an apartment or house without a court order, while the police mostly take care of the law and order situation and they have great a regard for India. Hence, Indians will not have to face security check-ups as the Arabs or other nationals undergo, says an agent who was previously involved in facilitation of migration.
Published - February 23, 2023 06:12 pm IST
