Israel reopens Ethiopian immigration

Israeli rabbis have ruled that they are of Jewish descent and the initial arrangement with the government allowed them to enter Israel on condition that they re-convert to Judaism, after which they receive citizenship.

The Israeli Interior Ministry and the Jewish Agency have returned to Ethiopia to examine the eligibility of the applicants to live in Israel.

More than 8,000 Falash Mura are still in Ethiopia, many with relatives in Israel.

More than 600 are planned to arrive over the next few months, and up to 2,000 could be in Israel by the end of 2010.

The chairman of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky, said: “The Jewish Agency is ready to host the new immigrants and to efficiently provide them with all the necessary services for their initial absorption.

He added: “I hope that the transfer of thousands of Falash Mura to Israel will bring an end to this painful issue.”