Several dozen Ethiopians staged a protest here this week against what they said were delays by Israeli authorities in bringing their relatives to Israel.
The protesters, who gathered outside the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, complained that the staff at the Israeli Embassy in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa have ignored the emigration requests of thousands of their people.
They said Israeli officials have created a negative image of members of their community, and that while the delays in processing the requests continue, many of their people are suffering from hunger and disease.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met with representatives of the Ethiopian immigrants and later promised to look into their complaints.
Reacting to the protesters’ charges, officials at the Absorption Ministry said that each file of a prospective immigrant is carefully reviewed under Israel’s family reunification plan and that preference is given to those who are recognized under that plan.
In a statement, the Absorption Ministry added that some 1,400 Ethiopians have immigrated to Israel since August 1993.
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