MEMO | June 6, 2014
The Israeli government and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption are implementing a plan to encourage European Jews, especially from Ukraine, to immigrate to Israel under the pretext of the growing anti-Semitism in Europe. Yedioth Ahronoth news reported on Friday that the Israeli government has allocated 100 million new Israeli shekels (£17.2 million) to this plan. The plan also includes granting 15,000 new Israeli shekels (£2,577) to every Jewish family that flees these areas.
The newspaper added that the Israeli government decided to establish an independent company in order to encourage Jewish immigration to Israel from all over the world. In the past, The Jewish Agency for Israel dealt with the matters of Jewish immigration to Israel, but the new company will not have the same restrictions applied to state companies and it will be able to operate freely in European countries.
This company will also include representatives from Zionist organisations such as Keren Kayemet (The Jewish National Fund), the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Histadrut, and will work in accordance with the regulations of a specialised committee that will be formed and will be presided over by the head of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption.
The newspaper also stressed that the new company “will market the plan in European countries in order to create a large increase in the number of Jewish immigrants to Israel.” According to the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption date, the number of immigrants from Ukraine to Israel doubled this year in comparison to the same period last year. This year 1,541 immigrants arrived in Israel compared to 697 immigrants during the first half of last year, Israel attributes this increase to the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine after its division.
The Israeli government recently approved the “France First” plan to encourage Jewish immigration to Israel from France. Yedioth Ahronoth stated that this plan led to the increase in the number of immigrants from France to Israel by 192 per cent compared to last year.
An official from the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption acknowledged the sensitivity of encouraging Jews in European countries to immigrate to Israel because they are citizens of a foreign country. He also said that the activity of the Zionist organisations in this context “is carried out in a quiet manner without drawing any attention”.