African migrants and Israelis demonstrate in the city of Tel Aviv on April 3, 2018, against the Israeli government's policy to forcibly deport African refugees and asylum seekers. / AFP / MENAHEM KAHANA
Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he was cancelling an agreement with the UN refugee agency on resettling thousands of African migrants after facing mounting pressure from his right-wing base.
Netanyahu had himself announced the agreement in a televised address on Monday afternoon, drawing immediate anger from right-wing politicians, including allies, and many of his traditional supporters.
He said in a late-night Facebook post on Monday he was suspending the agreement that would have allowed thousands of the migrants to remain in Israel at least temporarily. On Tuesday, he said the deal was being cancelled after having held discussions on it.
