Now, he’s among thousands of African men who could be given a choice by the Israeli government: Take $3,500 to relocate to an unnamed “third country” — widely reported to be Uganda or Rwanda — go back to their home country, or go to jail.

Israel began handing out the first deportation orders to Africans earlier this year. The government is scheduled next month to relocate the first of 38,000 Sudanese and Eritrean migrants, who entered Israel illegally in many cases more than six years ago. Israel had said it wouldn’t deport women and children — for now.

Read more