Israeli interior minister Ayelet Shaked orders expulsion of African woman seeking refuge from genital mutilation

Israel’s outgoing interior minister Ayelet Shaked has ordered the deportation of a woman from Sierra Leone who sought asylum in Israel after fearing she would be forced to undergo female genital mutilation if she returned home. 

Her order could go against a prior decision made by an Israeli court and in spite of a recommendation from the UNHCR's Refugee Advisory Board, according to a document revealed on Tuesday. 

 "A distinction must be made between different degrees of severity of circumcision procedures and that in any case there is no fear that a mature woman will be forced to undergo it against her will," Shaked said, according to a statement from her office. 

If anyone assumes that voting for a woman means that they will automatically defend women's rights, then read this article.

Israel's Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked rejects asylum request of a woman facing genital mutilation https://t.co/T5NUU9UxXu

— Josie Glausiusz ג'וסי גלאזיוס جوسي غلاوسيوز (@josiegz) November 29, 2022

Her statement went on to compare female genital mutilation - viewed internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women - to the ritual circumcision of Jewish male babies. 

"It is unthinkable that the State of Israel would harm its sovereign interests and grant asylum for alleged persecution that is similar or close in its essence to a popular tradition among its own citizens," Shaked added. 

"Not only would this be illogical and disproportionate, but it would also contradict the principle of equality in the law, since the result would be that the state would be allowing a certain action to be performed on boys (and that's a good thing) and other [male] citizens while granting protection against similar harm to girls, who are not even citizens or are residing illegally," she said according to the Times of Israel, adding that "a policy such as this would be completely absurd".

Two years ago, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the threat of female genital mutlation was grounds for asylum. The interior ministry opposed the decision at the time. 

The non-profit  Hotline for Refugees and Migrants said they were “shocked” at Shaked’s decision, and accused her of supporting female genital mutilation, according to the Israeli newspaper.

Ayelet Shaked has been harsh on immigrants and asylum seekers since she took office. These are likely her last few days in office as her Jewish Home party failed to win a single seat in the recently-concluded parliamentary elections.

The elections will most probably see Benjamin Netanyahu return as prime minister to head the most extreme-right government in Israel's history.

Israel has routinely been accused of cruelty to refugees from Africa, many of whom have sought asylum in Israel on humanitarian grounds.

African immigrants have routinely been harassed and imprisoned by Israeli authorities, who often force refugees to choose between returning home or being sent to a third country.