On Saturday some 140 people were injured in Tel Aviv, amid violent clashes with Israeli police and in-fighting between supporters and opponents of the Eritrean government.

Trouble had begun after Eritrean activists said that they had asked Israeli authorities to cancel an event organised by their country's embassy.

“Alarmed at high number of injuries during protests involving opposing Eritrean protesters, particularly in Israel,” the UN said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

It is “crucial that investigations take place, hate speech is avoided - especially by authorities", it says.

The "principle of non-refoulement", a reference to protection given to refugees and asylum seekers, should also be "fully respected” by them, it added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "a red line" had been crossed by the rioters and ordered the removal of African migrants he described as "illegal infiltrators".