JERUSALEM (JTA) — More than a quarter of a million new immigrants from 150 countries moved to Israel in the past decade.
Most of the 255,000 new immigrants came from countries including Russia, Ukraine, France, the United States and Ethiopia, according to figures released Sunday by the Jewish Agency for Israel.
More than half the immigrants, or about 130,000 people, originated from the countries of the former Soviet Union. Another 55,000-plus hailed from Europe, including more than 38,000 from France. Of the 36,000 from North America, over 32,000 were from the United States and most of the rest from Canada. Some 13,420 of the immigrants came from Latin America and nearly 10,500 from Ethiopia.
The report also shows that over 3,040 new immigrants moved from other Middle Eastern states and other countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relations.
Some of the other countries represented include South Africa, 2,560; Oceania, 1,950, the majority from Australia; and about 1,700 from the rest of Africa and Asia, including 1,180 from India and more than 190 from Hong Kong and China.
The year 2019 will conclude with approximately 34,000 immigrants — the peak number per year for the decade, according to the Jewish Agency.
