Government Decides to Extend and Update its Plan for the Integration of Israelis of Ethiopian Descent

The Government, at its weekly meeting yesterday (Monday, 17 July 2023), approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to extend and update its plan for the integration of Israelis of Ethiopian descent. The current decision aims to continue accelerating the optimal integration process for Israelis of Ethiopian descent by maintaining achievements, striving for excellence and addressing the remaining gaps and challenges.

The decision sets goals in various areas including: Continuing to close the gaps and encourage excellence in education and higher education, continuing to strive to integrate Israelis of Ethiopian descent in significant military service, and accelerating the process of reducing income gaps between Israelis of Ethiopian descent and the population as a whole via increased efforts to upgrade employment. Alongside these goals, objectives were also set in reducing the bias that affect decisions by professionals regarding Israelis of Ethiopian descent, deepening Israeli society’s familiarity with Ethiopian Jewish culture and their aliyah to Israel, and increasing trust between Israelis of Ethiopian descent and the Government.

The current decision also aims to create infrastructure, tools and networks, and to formulate an orderly outline for establishing policy toward Israelis of Ethiopian descent in each Government ministry. As part of the decision, databases will be upgraded, and oversight mechanisms will be strengthened, in the partner ministers; cooperation and consultation with the public will also be strengthened by both Government ministries and local authorities.

The decision’s budget for 2023-2024 will be NIS 239.6 million and will be implemented by the ministries of Education, Labor, Welfare and Social Affairs, Health, National Security, Culture and Sport, and Settlement and National Missions, as well as by the Government Urban Renewal Authority.

The Government decision is based on the achievements and insights derived from the implementation of the 2017-2023 Government plan for the integration of Israelis of Ethiopian descent. During this period, significant achievements were made and gaps were reduced in a variety of areas including: An increase in the proportion of pupils eligible for matriculation from 54% in 2016 to 78% in 2021, which is equal to the eligibility rate among all Hebrew-speaking pupils; the proportion of pupils eligible for matriculation who were also eligible to enter institutions of higher learning rose during these years from 34% to 53%; those participating in employment programs saw their wages increase by 10% in comparison to those who did not participate in such programs; there was a significant decline in the number of those under the responsibility of the Probation Service – from 5.9% of all those under the responsibility of the Service in 2016 to 2.5% in 2021, which also reflects the reduction in the number of arrests of minors, from 14% of overall arrests in 2018 to 6% in 2021; and a significant reduction in both the number of minors removed from their homes by the welfare authorities and the proportion of families under the responsibility of the welfare authorities.

Alongside the foregoing, there remain challenges that require continued intervention: Transition from a policy of reducing gaps to promoting excellence in education; continuing the effort to upgrade employment; dealing with bias among service providers; and expanding the familiarity of the general Israeli public with the history, aliyah and heritage of Ethiopian Judaism.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Israel.