Israel’s Minister of Immigrant Absorption, Pnina Tamano-Shata, has criticised her colleagues for showing no interest in Ethiopian Jews who are suffering in the war between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan separatists.
According to the minister, Ethiopian Jews who have been trying to flee their war-torn country do not enjoy the same sympathy in Israel enjoyed by Ukrainian Jews who are fleeing war in their country.
“This is hypocrisy of the white people,” said Tamano-Shata during a cabinet meeting. “We must also work to advance the immigration of Jews from Ethiopia who are also fleeing a war.”
Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai replied to the Ethiopian-born Tamano-Shata, “We are from Europe.”
Tamano-Shata asked Shai to withdraw his remarks. Far-right Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who was born in Moldova when it was part of the Soviet Union, tried to calm her down by saying that Shai was only joking.
Economy Minister Orna Barbivai did not appreciate Tamano-Shata’s remarks. “How can you say such a thing?” she asked. “How would you react if someone said that Black people are hypocrites?”
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