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Surveillance, Deportation, and Human Rights: Israel and the EU’s Role in Border Militarization and Refugee Abandonment

By Sõzarn Barday

Over the past decade, approximately 10,000 African refugees from Sudan and Eritrea have sought a better life in Israel. However, Israel has systematically employed tactics such as persuasion, bribery, and negotiation to send these refugees back to oppressive African states. The Israeli government has gone as far as pressuring countries like Chad, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic to accept African refugees, offering them non-binding promises of protection as incentives. Disturbingly, there was even consideration of paying Sudanese migrants a small sum and recruiting them into the Darfuri militia in Sudan.

While many of these efforts have failed, a significant number of African refugees have been deported from Israel after accepting $3,500. These individuals often end up in Uganda or Rwanda, where they are left to survive without support. In return, Israel has reportedly secured deals to sell weapons to these nations or provide diplomatic backing in international forums.

In May 2021, Israel escalated its approach to border control, installing a Heron drone above the Mediterranean Sea after testing it in Crete. Operated by Airbus and Israel Aerospace Industries, the drone is used by Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, to prevent refugees from reaching mainland Europe. “It’s almost impossible to cross the mediterranean” “Frontex has become a militarized actor, its equipment coming from war zones”. With capabilities including thermal imaging, motion detection, and mobile phone tracking, the Heron drone can fly for up to 40 hours, offering an unprecedented level of surveillance.

 Once, naval boats were dispatched to rescue migrants in distress. Today, drones represent a contactless, and often controversial, form of monitoring. Shir Hever, an economic researcher, has investigated Israel’s involvement in the EU’s border policies. He highlights that these drones cannot save lives—they merely observe and report. Hever explains that if a refugee boat is identified as leaking or in distress, the drone operator can delay notifying a patrol boat, effectively ensuring no rescue occurs. According to Hever, this chilling practice reveals the true purpose of these drones: they allow authorities the option to let refugees drown, turning a technological upgrade into a tool of indifference.

It is challenging for NGOs like Sea Watch to match the advanced surveillance capabilities of Frontex. While Heron drones provide Frontex with high-resolution images and detailed information relayed directly to their headquarters, Sea Watch is limited to using basic text messages between its planes and headquarters, relying on the hope of locating a merchant ship willing to rescue refugees. The disparity is stark: the NGO operates on limited resources against a heavily funded entity with one of the largest budgets in the EU.

Israel plays a pivotal role in collaborating with the EU to militarize borders and deter migrants. This approach intensified after 2015, following the mass influx of refugees caused by wars in Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq. The EU has partnered with Israeli defence companies to deploy their drone technology for border enforcement.

In 2020 alone, the EU allocated $91 million to Airbus, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and Elbit Systems to maintain the deployment of drones over the Mediterranean. These include IAI’s Heron drones and Elbit’s Hermes drones, both of which were previously used during the Gaza offensive in 2008. By 2017, Israel was responsible for manufacturing 60% of the global drone market, with competition in the drone industry continuing to grow rapidly.

 It is clear that NGOs face an uphill battle, as the EU has shown little intention of aiding those stranded at sea. Instead, refugees are often left to drown or are intercepted by Libyan coast guards, who forcibly return them to detention centres in Libya, notorious for their inhumane conditions.

The EU’s collaboration with the Libyan coast guard raises serious ethical concerns. Reports indicate that the guards lack basic safety measures, such as life vests or adequate speedboats, and are allegedly under the influence of drugs or alcohol while on duty. Communication between Frontex and Libyan officers reportedly occurs through informal channels like WhatsApp, highlighting the disorganized and negligent approach to addressing the refugee crisis.

 The EU’s handling of the refugee crisis underscores a stark failure to prioritize human dignity and safety. By investing in border militarization and collaborating with entities like the Libyan coast guard, the EU has shifted its focus from protecting vulnerable individuals to deterring their arrival, often at the cost of lives. This approach leaves NGOs like Sea Watch to shoulder the burden with limited resources, highlighting the urgent need for a more compassionate and accountable policy framework. To address this humanitarian crisis, the EU must abandon harmful practices, uphold international obligations, and commit to safeguarding the rights and lives of those seeking refuge.

 Sõzarn Barday is an Attorney based in South Africa and has a particular interest in human rights within the Middle East

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