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Kadima MK Shlomo Molla. (Lior Mizrahi)
Last update - 14:45 18/06/2008
Shas MK: 300,000 Jews still in Ethiopia eligible for immigration
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel, Falashmura 

Shas MK Mazor Bahyna has claimed that over 300,000 people remain in Ethiopia who are eligible to immigrate to Israel due to the forced conversion of Ethiopian Jews in the past.

"We have historical evidence and letters of Kessim [Ethiopian Jewish religious leaders] on the fact that forty years ago, there were more than 50,000 converts who were forced to change their religion," said Bahyna, an Ethiopian Israeli himself.

Another MK of Ethiopian origin, however, has called for an end to immigration of the Falashmura, the descendents of Jews who converted to Christianity in the past.
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MK Shlomo Molla (Kadima) said this should occur in accordance with a 2005 government decision which ruled that the last of the community would come to Israel in the coming weeks.

"Because of mistakes made in the Interior Ministry, there are still 5,000 people in Ethiopia whose eligibility need to be checked - but after this, we need to finish the issue," Molla said.

The dispute between the two lawmakers reflects deep divisions of opinion within the Ethiopian Israeli community as a whole. While some call for the bringing to Israel of anyone who declares a connection to the Jewish people, others say that many of those in Ethiopia seeking to immigrate are simply lying about their origins.

"This is a political decision that the government needs to make. If we continue to drag our feet on the issue, the breach will be grow and limitless numbers of Ethiopians without any connection to the Jewish people will be able to come here," Molla added.


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      1.   Yeh come to Israel and be treated like dirt 13:21  |  SJ 18/06/08
      2.   Welfare or begging 13:56  |  AQ 18/06/08
      3.   Shas importing voters 14:17  |  SJ 18/06/08
      4.   Another conversion controversy awaits us! 14:17  |  Motic 18/06/08
      5.   Falashmora 15:45  |  Israeli Jew 18/06/08
      6.   How about... 16:25  |  northern neighbor 18/06/08
      7.   #6, their home is Jordan Palestine, not Israel 17:00  |  David 18/06/08
      8.   Agree: Yes MK Shlomo, there must be limits. 17:54  |  The Archives 18/06/08
      9.   It`s a joke! 18:33  |  Motke 18/06/08
      10.   #7: I agree 18:41  |  Dov Katz 18/06/08
      11.   David in Boston is a Sellout 18:46  |  John 18/06/08
      12.   #9 - Motke 19:00  |  MichaelF 18/06/08
      13.   #12 20:02  |  Motke 18/06/08
      14.   sj 20:17  |  Jorge Benavides Sach 18/06/08
      15.   #10 Dov Katz 20:38  |  Boycott 18/06/08
      16.   A better idea... 20:44  |  ClearCut 18/06/08
      17.   if to research their roots better we can bring 6 millions instead 20:48  |  alex 18/06/08
      18.   Good! They make excellent soilders 21:47  |  Nathan 18/06/08
      19.   Jew pretenders to get Jewish agency`s basket of goodies 00:53  |  Charle C. 19/06/08
      20.   Outsider 02:48  |  Di 19/06/08
      21.   # 7 David in Boston 08:53  |  concerned citizen 19/06/08
      22.   #14 Jorge thats funny 11:35  |  SJ 19/06/08
      23.   This is how Babylonia was taken peacefully by the Chaldeans. 13:31  |  Christiani 19/06/08
      24.   to #9 where sited?? ULM 16:50  |  Rob of melbourne 20/06/08
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