Israel plans to absorb at least 150,000 immigrants in 1950, Dr. S. Levenberg, head of the Jewish Agency information office, today told a press conference here.
Dr. Levenberg said that some observers believe it will be possible to absorb as many as 200,000 persons next year. He also revealed that 170,000 were absorbed between January 1 and August 15 of this year and that another 65,000 will probably arrive before December 31.
In reference to emigration of Jews from Poland, he said that it is still not known exactly what the regulations governing the exit of Jews will cover nor how many persons will be affected. Estimates of the number of Jews who will leave that country for Israel very between 15,000 and 65,000, Dr. Lovenberg declared.
He cautioned against considering the countries of Eastern Europe as a unity in relation to their emigration policies, pointing cut that practice varies from country to country. He cited the example of Czechoslovakia which 18,000 loft since last February, and Rumania from which loss than 1,000 persons have emigrated during the last three months.
Dr. Lovenberg also announced that a small group of Jews was ready to leave Spain for Israel and that a ship was being dispatched to India to pick up some 2,000 Jews including many refugees from Moslem Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is expected that 2,500 will be transported this month from Tripolitania, whence some 2,000 have come in each of the last two months.
He assailed a “whispering campaign” aimed at the Jews of North Africa who, he said, were encountering much lese difficulty in accustoming themselves to Israel than was anticipated.
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