The umbrella organization for Ethiopian immigrants to Israel has begun a public struggle to bring 8,000 Falash Mura from Ethiopia to Israel, in spite of the opposition of the Israeli government.

The activists said the 8,000 would-be immigrants had already received approval to move to Israel, but that their names had been removed from the list due to a mistake by the head of the Interior Ministry's Population Registry. The ministry, however, said the additional names were not on the original list, and that most of the Falash Mura remaining in Ethiopia, descendants of Jews who converted to Christianity, have yet to prove their eligibility to immigrate to Israel.

The umbrella organization sent a letter last week to the United Jewish Communities, asking them to assist the 8,000 Falash Mura in addition to the other Ethiopians they help. The UJC currently sends some $50,000 a month for food and medical care for the Falashmura waiting to move to Israel.

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The 8,000 Falash Mura not on the immigration list "are an integral part of our community," and many have close relatives in Israel, the letter said.

The UJC said it has yet to determine its position on the matter.