# Ethiopian Asylum Seekers Face Return to War Zone > Israel may deport Ethiopian asylum seekers as Tigray war resurges. - Title: Ethiopian Asylum Seekers Face Return to War Zone | Shortify - Summary: Israel may deport Ethiopian asylum seekers as Tigray war resurges. Israel could send Ethiopian asylum seekers back to Ethiopia amid renewed conflict after… - Keywords: ethiopia, israel, asylum seekers, tigray war, refugee crisis, deportation, jewish community, Ethiopian, Asylum, Seekers, Face, Return - Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/10/21/israel-ethiopia-asylum-seekers-deportation-tigray-war - Author: Theia Chatelle - Published: 2026-10-21T00:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: ethiopia, israel, asylum seekers, tigray war, refugee crisis, deportation, jewish community ## Luwam Habteab's Story Luwam Habteab fled Ethiopia in 2023 after being detained for reporting on the Axum massacre. > For 75 days starting in 2020, Luwam Habteab slept on the floor of a prison cell, given little food and no medical care ## Asylum Claim Status As of August 2024, Habteab was one of 1,334 Ethiopians with open asylum claims before Israel’s Interior Ministry. > Habteab was one of 1,334 Ethiopians with open asylum claims before Israel’s Interior Ministry ## Revoked Protection In January 2024, Israel revoked group protection for Ethiopians after claiming stability in Ethiopia. > In January 2024, the Israeli Interior Ministry determined that the situation in Ethiopia was stable enough to send its nationals home ## Tigray War Resumes Last month, rebel groups launched a full-scale offensive against federal forces in Tigray. > Last month, an alliance of rebel groups launched a full-scale offensive against federal forces ## Communication Blackout Tigray is under a communications blackout, reviving fears of total siege during the 2020-22 war. > Much of Tigray is under a communications blackout, reviving fears of the total siege during the 2020-22 war ## Israeli Election Timing With Israel’s national elections set for October 27, 2026, right-wing politicians are casting asylum seekers as threats. > With Israel’s national elections set for Oct. 27, civil society advocates warn that right-wing politicians are once again casting asylum-seekers as a threat ## Asylum System Challenges Israel has granted asylum status to less than 1 percent of those seeking it since 2009. > Israel has granted asylum status to less than 1 percent of those seeking it, according to HIAS Israel ## Rejection Rates 90 percent to 95 percent of Ethiopian asylum seekers are rejected and given three to four months to leave. > 90 percent to 95 percent of those summoned are rejected and given three to four months to leave ## Resettlement Collapse The U.S. refugee program was suspended in 2025, leaving few resettlement options for Ethiopians. > When he returned to office in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump effectively dismantled the U.S. refugee admissions program ## Humanitarian Impact A mother of three small children with no money to appeal her asylum rejection asked for help. > She turns to me, 'Please help me, save my life,' and I have nothing to give her ## Systemic Obstacles Asylum interviews require applicants to prove credible fear of persecution, a high burden of proof. > The burden of proof placed on applicants for asylum to establish a credible fear of persecution is set very high ## Political Tensions Israeli officials refer to migrants as 'infiltrators' and describe their presence as a danger to Jewish character. > Israeli officials refer to some migrants and refugees as 'infiltrators', a term embedded in the country’s own laws ## Last Hope With Ethiopia’s capital under threat, many families cannot contact relatives in Tigray. > For those who cannot leave for another country and cannot stay in Israel, the return of war to Ethiopia has taken away their last consolation ## Systemic Failure The UN refugee agency in Israel has staff reduced to three, with Tel Aviv office cut. > The office of the U.N. refugee agency in Israel... has been hollowed out as part of the same pattern of global retrenchment against asylum ## Future Uncertainty Ethiopian asylum seekers face deportation as Tigray war resurges and resettlement options vanish. > For those who cannot leave for another country and cannot stay in Israel, the return of war to Ethiopia has taken away their last consolation ## Key takeaway Israel could send Ethiopian asylum seekers back to Ethiopia amid renewed conflict after revoking their asylum protections.