Ethiopian-Israeli activists denounce PM for failure to fulfill aliyah vow
Activists are now also concerned that a military operation by the Ethiopian government in the northern province of Tigray could endanger the Falash Mura community in the northern city of Gondar.
By JEREMY SHARONEthiopian-Israeli activists are seen protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.(photo credit: ACTIVISTS FOR ETHIOPIAN ALIYAH)Ethiopian-Israeli activists staged a demonstration outside the Prime Minister’s Office and even blocked the road on Wednesday morning in protest of the failure to bring those waiting in Ethiopia to Israel.In September, the government approved a plan to bring to Israel before the end of the year 2,000 of the remaining 8,000 members of the Falash Mura waiting in Addis Ababa and Gondar who may be eligible for immigration to Israel under the criteria established by previous government decisions.None have arrived so far, however, although 500 are expected to come to Israel on December 3, and the Aliyah and Integration Ministry says all 2,000 should come before the end of January.At the same time, the activists also marked five years since the government resolved in 2015 to bring all remaining members of the community waiting in Ethiopia to Israel – then about 9,500 people.But only approximately 2,000 have been brought to Israel since that time, while activists point out that some 165,000 other immigrants have made aliyah to the Jewish state since that government resolution was passed.Activists are now also concerned that a military operation by the Ethiopian government in the northern province of Tigray could endanger the Falash Mura community in the northern city of Gondar, although that city is nevertheless some 180 km. from the Tigray border.During Wednesday’s demonstration, protesters pointed out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s numerous promises to bring the remainder of the community to Israel, which included explicit promises to community elders and leaders during the third of the three recent election campaigns.“We all have family there. Don’t confuse things with talk about budgets. There is money for aliyah for Jews from all other countries, but when it comes to us, we are not Jewish enough,” said one protester.Members of the Falash Mura community are not granted citizenship under the Law of Return since their ancestors converted to Christianity, under some duress, and are instead given permission to enter the country under family reunification laws.While many of the first immigrants from the community who came in the 1980s and ’90s were of maternal Jewish descent, almost all of those remaining are of paternal Jewish descent.
