Interior Minister Eli Yishai on Wednesday issued a stark warning to illegal aliens from the Ivory Coast that time to leave with Israeli assistance is fast running out.
Last Friday, Yishai said Israel was giving illegal aliens from the Ivory Coast one week to identify themselves and voluntarily leave Israel.
Those illegal aliens who complied before Yishai\’s deadline – this Friday – were offered an assistance grant.
"Illegal aliens from the Ivory Coast infiltrators know that time is running out to come forward. If they don\’t, they will be arrested and deported without receiving an assistance grant," Yishai told reporters on Wednesday.
"In less than a week," Yishai said, "The deadline allocated for illegal aliens seeking to voluntarily leave for the Ivory Coast will pass, and the grant of $500 for adults, and an additional $100 for each additional minor, will be taken off the table."
Yishai emphasized, "Illegal aliens should be careful not to mistakenly interpret our offer to give them an assistance grant and send them home as an invitation to stay past the deadline, or weakness."
"If the offer is ignored we will take the matter in hand, and be uncompromisingly hard, and we will not rest until every last illegal alien from the Ivory Coast is removed from Israel."
"This is a positive step toward preserving the Jewish character of the state, and restoring the sense of security to residents in neighborhoods with large numbers of illegal aliens," he added.
Israeli officials believe as many as 100,000 illegal aliens from Africa have made their way to the Jewish state. As many as 60,000 reside in the greater Tel Aviv area.