Israel to Take in 100 Syrian Refugee Children

JERUSALEM — Israel will take in children refugees from the Syrian Civil War, Israeli Channel 10 reported on Wednesday evening.

According to the report, the Jewish State will take in approximately 100 orphaned Syrians who will be given the status of temporary residents. After staying in the country for four years, the children will be able to be granted permanent resident status and remain in the country.

Furthermore, if next of kin of the first degree are still alive, Israel will positively consider letting them also find refuge in Israel with their young relatives.

According to the report, the move has not yet been implemented but a decision in principle was made and a plan drafted for the acclimatization of the Syrian refugees.

The orphans will reportedly be placed with Arab Israeli families.

The government is now set to liaise with the relevant international organizations to bring the children into the country.

Over 2,500 Syrians have been treated in Israeli hospitals since 2013, even though Syria and Israel have officially been in a state of war since 1948. According to the website The Tower, pregnant women sometimes travel to the border in order to deliver their babies in Israel, and Israeli doctors have been treating young Syrian patients with cutting-edge procedures that enable them to walk again.

A recent Israeli crowdfunding campaign raised nearly $350,000 for Syrian refugees.

In 2016, a refugee from Syria now living in Turkey, Aboud Dandachi, published a piece in Tablet magazine in which he expressed his gratitude to “true friends” of Syrians, especially Israel and Jewish organizations. According to the Tower, Dandachi also maintains a website called Thank You Am Israel, which was created “in appreciation of the assistance given to Syrian refugees by Israeli and Jewish organizations and individuals.”

According to the draft of the Interior Ministry’s decision, the children will live in a boarding house for the first three months of their stay in the country. They will then be moved to Education Ministry-run facilities and some may even be referred for adoption by foster families. They will stay in Israel under the status of temporary residents.

This means that they will be given an Israeli ID number and ID card, but will not receive passports. Apart from this they will have equal rights to other citizens, including support from Israel’s welfare system.

In addition, if first-degree relatives suddenly show up after some time, Israel will consider taking them in as well.

The decision was signed by Interior Minister Aryeh Deri.

Israel is expected to pledge to the United Nations that after staying in the country for four years as temporary residents, the Syrian children will be able to receive permanent resident status and stay in Israel their whole lives.