A group of Ethiopian-born immigrants asked the Labor Party on Thursday to accelerate the creation of a ministerial committee aimed at facilitating their community's absorption in Israel.

In response, Labor party representatives voted unanimously in favor of raising the issue during the government's next meeting on Sunday.

Last month, Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim told Israeli Ethiopian leaders at a Jerusalem demonstration against discrimination and poverty that he would create a committee investigating their claims. Some 11 protesters and four police officers were hurt during the protest.

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However, after consulting with the Prime Minister Boim decided against creating a special committee and will hold a substitute hearing at the ministerial committee dealing with the immigration of the remaining Jews in Ethiopia to Israel.

"If creating a committee were like raising money abroad for Ethiopian Jewry, the committee would have been created within seven days," Gadi Yavarkan, the chairman of an Ethiopian community rights group said. "Because we're dealing with promoting the community, this issue will dissipate. Not creating the committee will show the continuing disrespect of the Israeli government."