Current immigration to Israel includes a high proportion of social welfare cases, Dr. Yosef Burg, Minister of Social Welfare, reported to the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, during the debate here today over his Ministry’s budget.
For the past two years, Dr. Burg stated, 20 percent of the new arrivals went directly to welfare offices, instead of the “ship to village” program which the Government and the Jewish Agency are attempting to carry out.
As an example of the increase in cases on the Ministry’s rolls in new immigrant centers, Dr. Burg cited Dimona where, in less than three years, families receiving social assistance increased 12 times, although immigration only tripled during the period. Social welfare allocations for the current year total 37,000,000 pounds ($12,300, 000), he said.
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