The deteriorating security situation in Ethiopia raises concerns about the lives of some 10,000 Jews in the country, who are waiting to immigrate to Israel.
The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption noted that those waiting were staying in the camps, most of them in the city of Gondar and some in Addis Ababa.
In view of the danger looming over them due to the escalation in Ethiopia, the Minister of Immigration and Absorption, Pnina Temano-Sheta, addressed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett with a request to hold an urgent discussion on the immigration of the waiting community, "due to real life risk due to the deteriorating security situation in Ethiopia."
On Tuesday this week, the Ethiopian government declared a state of emergency due to the advance of the rebel forces from Tagrai to Addis Ababa.
"According to reports, the rebels intend to fortify and occupy the capital," clarified Tamanu-Shte.
Minister of Aliyah and Absorption, Pnina Tamano-Sheta // Photo: Oren Ben Hakon,
"The precarious security situation directly affects the members of the communities waiting in Ethiopia, endangers their lives and requires immediate government intervention to bring them up expeditiously. Contact and help them financially in this difficult crisis. "
The minister stressed that "due to security circumstances requiring urgent government intervention, I would ask you to hold an urgent discussion in order to speed up immigration from there. Every additional day of waiting could take a heavy toll on human life among the Jewish community in Ethiopia."
Adana Tadela, head of the Jewish Agency's delegation in Ethiopia, who recently returned to Israel, told Israel Today that "among those waiting to immigrate to Gondar, there is a great fear that the conflict will reach the area where they are, and then they are in danger."
He said, "The manifestations of anti-Semitism in Ethiopia are increasing during the war, and there is a real fear for the lives of those waiting. If the war is in Addis and Gondar, they will be harmed more than others because they are perceived as immigrants.