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Plight of Falashas to Be Publicized

November 7, 1979
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The Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization will soon launch a worldwide campaign to publicize the plight of the Falashas, the Jews of Ethiopia, and to ease their immigration to Israel. This decision was taken last weekend following a series of demonstrations here by Falashas who charged that the government and the Jewish Agency are doing nothing to rescue the 25,000 Jews in Ethiopia.

The Jewish Agency decision to publicize the issue amounted to a reversal of its previous policy of quiet diplomacy and its contention that action was being taken on behalf of the beleaguered Falashas in Ethiopia but that its nature could not be publicized. The Agency’s decision was supported by the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee which also decided to publicize the plight of the Falashas.

Abraham Yadai, chairman of the Israel Falashas, told a press conference here a week ago that not a single Falasha left Ethiopia last year. He stated that while the entire world is alarmed and cries out whenever a Jew is arrested in the Soviet Union or anywhere else, there is no reaction to the murder and persecution of Jews in Ethiopia.

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