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240 Bnei Menashe Arrive, Kickstarting 6,000-Person Relocation Plan

4/26/2026

47 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

240 Bnei Menashe immigrants arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport on April 23 2026, greeted by balloons and “Oseh Shalom”.
The flight starts a plan to relocate 6,000 community members by 2030, with 1,200 expected in 2026.
Minister Ofir Sofer said the operation will enable the entire community to immigrate.
New arrivals will first stay in an absorption center in Nof HaGalil, where many have relatives and 17-year-old Amos Namte plans to enlist.

History

Historical Context

Israel’s large-scale rescue of Ethiopian Jews began with Operation Moses in 1984, which airlifted roughly 8,000 Beta Israel, followed by Operation Solomon in 1991 that brought 14,324 more. Subsequent programs such as Operation Tzur Israel (2020-2023) added thousands, and a 2025 approval for 2,000 additional immigrants shows the government’s continued reliance on historic absorption plans.

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Story summary

240 Bnei Menashe immigrants arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport on April 23 2026, greeted by balloons and “Oseh Shalom”.
The flight starts a plan to relocate 6,000 community members by 2030, with 1,200 expected in 2026.
Minister Ofir Sofer said the operation will enable the entire community to immigrate.
New arrivals will first stay in an absorption center in Nof HaGalil, where many have relatives and 17-year-old Amos Namte plans to enlist.

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