The Israeli government is examining a proposal to establish a town expressly for immigrants from Ethiopia. If the idea is approved, it could come under criticism as a supposed attempt to separate that immigrant community from the rest of the country’s populace.
The proposal is the brainchild of Deputy Public Security Minister Gadi Yevarkan, himself a member of the Ethiopian-Israeli community, who recently met with Construction and Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman. The two agreed on a series of actions to be taken to improve the lot of Ethiopian Israelis.
Yevarkan presented an overview of the community’s housing needs, and also suggested ideas to promote employment initiatives in the community.
The two sides agreed that Yevarkan would compile housing plans that would be submitted to the Construction and Housing Ministry for evaluation by its professional staff. It appears that such a plan might be given a green light and approved for central Israel.
Yevarkan expressed his thanks to Litzman for cooperating with his vision.
This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.