Israel's Ministry of Interior has notified about 40 families belonging to the African Hebrew Israelite community based in Dimona that they must leave the country within 60 days or they will be deported, according to Dimona Mayor Benny Biton.

Dozens of African Hebrew Israelites have been living in Israel without legal status for years, sometimes decades. (Most community members are legal permanent residents.) AHIJ leaders have tried repeatedly to work out a deal with the MOI for those without status.

The last government effort to mass deport Hebrews was in 1986 (though individual members have been deported since then). @davidsheen wrote about that effort and the community's forceful response. https://www.haaretz.com/1.5002908 

Why is this happening now, after so many years of detente? One wonders if it has something to do with the Hebrews refusing to get the Covid vaccine for cultural reasons.

Community members are speaking out on Facebook: "Adults aged 70-80 who...have built their lives in Israel are being asked to leave the country and start a new life. How is that possible? How about a little humanitarianism?" https://www.facebook.com/ashriel.benisrael/posts/10225790214441002

Another writes: "Am Yisrael, sometimes I wonder to myself, do you love us? Did we do something wrong? Did we hurt you?" https://www.facebook.com/yair.israel.79/posts/1975336772639775

Ashriel Moore, a young Hebrew activist, has been telling the media that members who are citizens of neither Israel nor the U.S. are up for deportation. The Israeli government said all those who received deportation letters are American citizens. https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/By48Ob7vd