Bringing the Falash Mura community to Israel

The Falash Mura are a community of Ethiopian Jews who converted to Christianity during the second half of the 19th century. They were brought to Israel on a number of occasions, by a number of government administrations. It is currently estimated that about 9,000 people from this community still remaining in Addis Ababa and in Gonder wish to immigrate to Israel. Due to the ongoing debate as to their Judaism and their resultant right to immigrate to Israel, in November 2015 the government decided to bring the rest of the community members within a five year period, declaring that this will conclude their organized journey (although individuals would still be allowed to arrive in accordance with the Law of Return).

As at February 2017, the decision has been only partially implemented. Three months after the decision was made, in February 2016, the Director General of the Prime minister's Office declared that the State is stopping the immigration of the remaining Falash Mura from Ethiopia to Israel until budgetary discussions have been held. Following pressure by Knesset members Avraham Neguise and Internal Affairs Committee Chairperson David Amsalem, it was agreed with the Prime Minister in April 2016 that until the end of 2016 1,300 of the remaining 9,000 Falash Mura would be brought to Israel, while the arrival of the rest would be subject to a multi-annual plan to be agreed upon in the 2017-2018 budgetary discussions.
However, by the end of 2016 only 83 Falash Mura actually arrived in Israel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs fear that the Ethiopian government would prevent the continued immigration of Falash Mura to Israel, because allegedly political sources are presenting the project as an escape plan rather than a family reunification program.