Hundreds of Ethiopian immigrants welcomed by government in Israel

Hundreds of Ethiopians arrived at Israel’s international airport. These immigrants were welcomed with a warm festive ceremony as the Israeli government took a step toward bringing out its commitment of reuniting hundreds of families divided between the two nations.

Around 300 people arrived in Israel in an Ethiopian Airlines flight, with several swinging flags and stopping to kiss the ground of Israel as they departed off the aircraft onto a red carpet.

Many were dressed in traditional Ethiopian robes, and many women held babies in their arms. Festive Hebrew songs were blasted over loudspeakers.

The immigrants who arrived in Israel are of Jewish descent and many are practising Jews. They are allowed to enter the country under a family unification program that demands special government approval.

A large group of Israeli authorities welcomed the group and Pnina Tamano Shata, the country’s first Ethiopian-born Cabinet minister, travelled to Ethiopia to join them on the flight.

“My wife Sara and myself were holding there with tears in our eyes”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated at the welcoming ceremony. “This is the basis of our Jewish narrative, the heart of the Zionist story.”

The government is implementing a 2015 decision to bring all remaining Ethiopians of Jewish progenitors to Israel within five years. Netanyahu’s Likud party reiterated that agreement before national polls early this year.

Activists for Ethiopian Aliyah, a group supporting a family union, estimates some 7000 Ethiopian Jews people behind in Ethiopia, many of whom have been anticipating for years to join their families.

“Once again, the government headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu has chosen to place shares on the immigration of Jews from Ethiopia”, stated Muket Fenta, an activist who has been working for over a decade to bring his aunt to Israel.

“The administration is celebrating a few hundred immigrants from Ethiopia while many in large numbers were assumed to be here and are still left behind while their fate is in question”, he declared.