‘I’m So Happy’: Netanyahu Welcomes 43 New Ethiopian Immigrants into Israel
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JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel welcomed 43 new Ethiopian immigrants into the Promised Land Tuesday after waiting years to be reunited with their family.
Immigrants from nine Ethiopian families arrived at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport Tuesday evening. They were greeted by relatives and even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself.
They were accompanied on their journey by a delegation from Netanyahu’s Likud party.
"I haven't seen my two brothers for eight years," Edisa Kanadi, who lives in Israel, told Ynet News. "They've been waiting for Gondar for 20 years. I'm so happy they have arrived in Israel, I cried a little," she said.
"I so very happy to finally see them and my three grandchildren," Zauda Bogala said. "I know there are other people who like me had been waiting for their loved ones, and I wish for them to all see them soon in our country," she added.
These Ethiopians are just a few of the 400 members of the Falash Mura community that Israel recently approved for immigration.
Falash Mura is the term given to Ethiopian Jews whose ancestors converted to Christianity, many by force, during the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the Falash Mura converted to Christianity, Israel’s Interior Ministry does not consider them to be Jewish and they are excluded from the Law of Return.
If the Falash Mura want to return to Israel, they must get special permission from the government.
The Israeli government in 2018 approved a plan to allow 1,000 Falash Mura to return to the Jewish State. There are an estimated 8,000 members of the Falash Mura community still living in Ethiopia.
The Campaign for Ethiopian Jews’ Aliyah said in a statement reported by Israeli media that only 600 have been brought back to Israel. They are urging the Israeli government to bring more of their family members back to Israel.
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