Israel will reexamine all requests from Eritrean asylum seekers, including 3,000 that were previously turned down, following a  decision by a special committee this week which announced new assessment criteria.

The committee decided that desertion from the Eritrean army or avoiding the military draft would only be considered towards the request if coupled with at least one of the two other conditions - either that avoiding the army was on ideological grounds or the asylum seeker must prove the existence of a “well-founded fear” of persecution in his home country. 

Activists representing asylum seekers claim the new measures do not live up to Israel's international obligations.

KAN's Mark Weiss spoke with Sigal Rozen , the director of the  Hotline for Refugees and Migrant's Public Policy department.

(Photo:Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)