Opposition to immigration among some Israelis has grown to a point where the Government has deemed it necessary to launch an educational campaign to explain the country’s need for immigrants and the economic advantages accruing from them. Aryeh Eliav, Deputy Minister of Immigrant Absorption, disclosed that such an effort will soon get underway.
He told a press conference yesterday that while the vast majority of Israelis favor immigration and realize its importance, a poll just completed for the Government by a public opinion research company showed that 15 percent of the populace considered immigration a burden. The main reasons given were that it pushes taxes up; that immigrant students occupy the places of native born students in universities; and that immigrants from the Western countries are rich enough not to need Government assistance. Mr. Eliav said that the arrival of between 35,000 and 40,000 newcomers a year ploughs about $170 million per annum into the national economy which stimulates prosperity.
Deputy Prime Minister Yigal Allon reported to the Cabinet yesterday that immigration during the first three months of this year totalled 8,053 persons including new settlers and Israelis who returned after absences of more than five years. Mr. Allon, who is also Minister of Immigrant Absorption, said the comparable figure for the same period last year was 6,197.
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