The Israeli government has approved a plan to absorb more than 5,800 members of the Bnei Menashe community by 2030, officials announced. The ethnic community from the north-eastern states of Mizoram and Manipur in India will be settled in the Galilee region of northern Israel in stages, they said.
The particular region is located close to the Lebanese border, which has seen intense fighting, with tens of thousands migrating to different parts of the country in recent years. Confirming the decision, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was an important and much-needed step to strengthen Israel’s north.
A first group of nearly 1200 people is expected to arrive in the region next year. The ministry responsible for overseeing their settlement will assist by providing financial support, Hebrew language instruction, job guidance, temporary housing, and social programmes.
The Israeli government expects to designate about $27.4 million for the absorption of this initial wave alone. This upcoming arrival follows the immigration of roughly 4,000 Bnei Menashe who have already immigrated to Israel over the past two decades. The plan, according to officials, was jointly coordinated with the assistance of the Indian government.
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Demographic considerations remain central to Israeli state policy, particularly in relation to the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel's population stands at about 10.1 million, compared with an estimated 5.5 million in the Palestinian territories.
This unique Indian tribe, spread across parts of the north-eastern states, identifies itself as descendants of the biblical tribe of Manasseh, considered one of the "lost tribes" of Israel. Many had practised Christianity before returning to Judaism and receiving recognition from Israel's Chief Rabbinate.
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