Clashes between protesters and police at a demonstration for the immigration of all Ethiopian Jews from Gondar, outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem
(Video: Roni Green Shaulov)
Hundreds of Israelis of Ethiopian descent protested on Sunday in Jerusalem, criticizing the Israeli government for failing to assist their relatives left behind in Africa to make Aliyah.
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The demonstrators linked arms, blocking traffic at a busy junction for over an hour. However, tensions escalated when police and mounted cops tried to clear the road, resulting in clashes. Despite police efforts, the intersection remains closed.
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Protesters hold pictures of relatives left behind in Ethiopia, in Jerusalem
(Photo: Amit Shabi)
Many protesters held up pictures of their family members still in Ethiopia, shouting accusations of "racism" and "discrimination." One of the demonstrators told Ynet, "My mother's entire family is in Ethiopia. We came as Jews, and there's no reason they shouldn't come too."
Last Thursday, 204 Israelis and those eligible for immigration were airlifted from the northern Ethiopian cities of Gondar and Bahir Dar in four separate flights. They had been stranded in an area witnessing severe clashes between armed groups and Ethiopian security forces.
A group advocating for the immigration of all remaining Jews in Ethiopia expressed its frustration, stating, "Today proved we are not treated as brothers. Whoever dispatched a plane to evacuate around 200 Israelis from Ethiopia, leaving thousands behind in Gondar amid chaos and conflict, bears direct responsibility for their fate."
The protester further stated, "I came to the demonstration with my mother and sisters. My mother has been suffering for 20 years because her entire family remains in Ethiopia. We came to Israel as Jews and there's no reason the rest of the Jews shouldn't be brought over. We pay taxes like every other citizen in Israel. We want immigration under the Law of Return; the home for every Jew is here."
ISRAEL RESCUES OVER 200 CITIZENS AND JEWS FROM ETHIOPIA CONFLICT REGION - TOMER BAR-LAVI
(ILTV)