DaysofPal – Israel is set to bring over 5,800 members of the Bnei Menashe Jewish community from India, aiming to settle them in the Galilee region of northern occupied Palestine. Under the pretense of immigration and absorption initiatives, the government is expanding settlements in Palestinian territory as part of a larger plan.
The government approved a plan presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer, in coordination with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Minister Ze’ev Elkin.
According to the plan, around 1,200 community members are expected to arrive by the end of 2026, with the remaining 4,600 scheduled to reach Israel by 2030.
Migrants will be transferred to absorption centers in Nof HaGalil and other cities in the region. They will receive comprehensive integration packages, including housing, Hebrew language instruction, vocational training, and access to education and employment.
Netanyahu described the decision as “important and Zionist,” claiming it will strengthen the north and the Galilee. Finance Minister Smotrich framed it as “reuniting brothers who carried the longing for Zion through generations.”
The Bnei Menashe community originates from Mizoram and Manipur in northeast India, regions inhabited by Kuki-Chin and Mizo tribal groups. Over the past two decades, about 4,000 members have already migrated to Israel under previous government programs. The new initiative seeks to complete the migration and reconnect families separated during prior relocations.
The first stage, covering 1,200 individuals, is projected to cost around 90 million shekels, covering transport, religious conversion, housing, and integration services.
The second stage, completing the migration by 2030, will bring an additional 4,600 individuals, effectively settling the entire community in the Galilee.
Under Government Decision 2442 of 2007, which governs the entry of groups for religious conversion and citizenship purposes, the first delegation will depart for India within a week.
The process involves coordination between the Chief Rabbinate, religious conversion authorities, the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, the Population and Immigration Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Jewish Agency.
Eligibility lists will be approved by the Chief Rabbi and the President of the Rabbinical Court, after which migrants will receive A/5 category visas.
The plan coincides with a notable increase in emigration from Israel over the past two years. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, over 80,000 Israelis left the country in 2024, with similar figures expected this year.
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