Sa'ar calls on Interior Ministry to grant fallen Hebrew Israelite soldier's family citizenship

Minister-without-portfolio Gideon Sa’ar, in a letter addressed to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel on Tuesday, asked to grant citizenship to fallen soldier Elishai Young’s family, who was killed in Gaza on Saturday.

Sa’ar, who served as interior minister from 2013-2014, wrote, “A decade ago, during my tenure, I made a decision regulating the status of the Hebrew Israelite community members who serve in the IDF and their families.

“According to the decision, the members of the community who serve in the IDF and their families are entitled to submit an application for citizenship at the end of 41 months from the date of their draft,” Sa’ar wrote.

“Sadly, the late sergeant fell before serving 41 months in the IDF. The Young family paid the most expensive and painful price in the war for the sake of the country and its security.

“In light of the above, it is fair to grant citizenship to the family members of the late Elishai.”

Sgt. Young, who was killed in battle while fighting in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, was a member of the African Hebrew Israelites community and reportedly not an Israeli citizen.

Who are the African Hebrew Israelites?

The African Hebrew Israelites first arrived in Israel, mostly from Chicago, in the late 1960s and requested citizenship under the Law of Return. However, the government ruled in 1973 that they did not qualify for citizenship, as they could not prove Jewish descent.

Some members have previously faced deportation, but were given a lifeline in 2021 by the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law Review Tribunal, according to Army Radio.

The Dimona-based community obtained an injunction in 2021, temporarily restraining the State from carrying out deportation orders.

Maya Gur Arieh contributed to this report.