Arrival of Ethiopian Falashas in Israel

Israeli media has reported that a group of Falashas was transferred from Ethiopia to Israel on Sunday night, October 10, consisting of 64 individuals. The Israeli government has stated that in the coming days, the transfer of additional groups of Falashas from Ethiopia to Israel will continue. Overall, Israel has committed to transferring 1,300 Falashas of Ethiopian descent residing in the country. According to reports from Israeli media, as a result of widespread protests by Ethiopian Jews, Benjamin Netanyahu's government signed a document in November 2015 to transfer 9,000 Falashas to Israel. The Falashas being transferred in this wave are relatives of Ethiopian Jews who have lived in Israel for many years. Doubts about the Jewish identity of this group of Falashas have so far hindered their transfer to Israel. However, families separated over the years have protested and demanded to reunite with their loved ones. This is the first time in three years that a group of Falashas has been transferred to Israel. Videos of the Falashas' arrival at Tel Aviv airport showed emotional scenes of family members embracing each other after years of separation. Ethiopians in Israel have held numerous protests in the past two years, objecting to widespread discrimination against them. Ethiopians claim that after being brought to Israel, the country leaves them to fend for themselves in severe poverty. The second generation of Ethiopian Jews living in Israel, even if they have served in the military, report that discrimination against them is severe, and they continue to live in poverty and unemployment. Segregation of Ethiopian mothers from other mothers in hospitals, discarding the blood of Ethiopian Jews and not using it for medical purposes, severe discrimination in job referrals even for educated individuals, and widespread arrests of Ethiopian youth are among the issues that have led to their widespread protests. Youssef Al-Sheikh, the Israeli police chief, recently apologized for stating that 'it is natural for Ethiopian Jews to be blamed in any crime' in response to protests from Ethiopian Jews. Ethiopian Falashas living in Israel say their youth are arrested five times more than others, and police are sent to their protests on trained horses; scenes of a severe beating of an Ethiopian soldier by police officers have embarrassed the Israeli Prime Minister and military commanders. Falashas have strongly protested that the Israeli government has 'done nothing' to return Abra Mengistu, a young Ethiopian captured by Hamas in Gaza, stating that if this captured individual were a citizen of another country, the Israeli government would make the utmost effort to free him. Abra Mengistu, who has a mental disability, comes from a poor family living in a neighborhood near Gaza and crossed the Israeli border fence three years ago on foot, becoming a prisoner of Hamas. The Ethiopian government has also requested that Israel work to respect the human rights of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu visited Ethiopia this summer as part of a trip to Africa. During Netanyahu's visit to Ethiopia, representatives of the Falashas met with him and requested to be transferred to Israel to live alongside their relatives.