Israel allows entry of 3,000 Jews from Ethiopia; many have been 'waiting for decades'

The State of Israel, on Sunday, approved the immigration of several thousand Jews from war-torn Ethiopia, some of whom have waited for decades to join their relatives back in the middle eastern country. Ethiopia hosts a close-knit community of roughly 6,000 jews known as ‘Beta Israel” or “House of Israel.” Additionally, nearly 140,000 Ethiopian Jews reside in Israel itself, as per a reprot by Voice of America. 

However, it is imperative to note that despite their Jewish descent and a majority of the community members practising Judaism, Israel does not consider them like that under its religious law. Instead, all the families have, for years struggled to get into the country under a special family reunification provision, first passed in 2015. According to a report by the Voice of America, the latest announcement will bring in an estimated 3,000 jews from the African country and well as orphans whose parents died whilst they were in Israel. 

The Jewish Agency of Israel, along with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), in a joint statement, lauded the decision adding that they will facilitate the immigration process. “This government decision will put an end to the suffering of many families who will finally be reunited after years of waiting to make aliyah,” said the acting chairman of the executive of The Jewish Agency, Yaakov Hagoel, using the Hebrew word for immigration to Israel. Notably, JFNA said that it will raise US$5 billion to support transportation. 

Ethiopia was one of the first countries to congratulate the Jewish state on the inking of the Abraham Accords. As per the office of the then PM Benjamin Netanyahu,  the remarks by Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed were made during a telephonic conversation wherein Ahmed reckoned that "full ramification" of the deals would only be "understood by future generations". In addition to the treaties, the two leaders also deliberated upon issues such as agriculture and the repatriation of Ethiopian Jews to Israel.

Image: AP