Israeli gov't approves Ministerial Committee on Aliyah and Integration

By ZVIKA KLEIN

Published: MARCH 5, 2023 16:04

SOFER: I AM aware of the sensitivities [of the ‘grandchild clause’], and when the amendment is made, it will be done in a very sensitive way, with a lot of listening to Diaspora Jewry and a broad public discourse. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) — SOFER: I AM aware of the sensitivities [of the ‘grandchild clause’], and when the amendment is made, it will be done in a very sensitive way, with a lot of listening to Diaspora Jewry and a broad public discourse.

(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

The committee will be chaired by Ofir Sofer and will include a number of ministers, most of whom support amending the Law of Return

The Israeli government cabinet approved the establishment of the Ministerial Committee for Aliyah and Integration on Sunday.

The committee will be chaired by Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer from the Religious Zionist Party (RZP) and its members will be Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (RZP), Education Minister Yoav Kisch (Likud), Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli (Likud), Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism), Development of the Negev and Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit), Economy Minister Nir Barkat (Likud), Interior Minister Michael Malchieli (Shas) and Tourism Minister Haim Katz (Likud).

According to a press release on behalf of Sofer, "the committee will deal with the coordination between government officials in issues involving immigration and integration, as well as encouraging optimal immigration and absorption of olim in the State of Israel."

"Success in the important task of immigrating and integrating Jews in the State of Israel requires optimal work and full cooperation of the various government ministries," Sofer said. He added that "the Zionist mission of aliyah is on the government's list of priorities and with God's help we will cooperate [with each other] and succeed."

Most of the ministers want amendments to the Law of Return

The list of ministers on this committee makes it crystal clear that most of them are interested in making some sort of amendment to the Law of Return.

NEW IMMIGRANTS from North America disembark at Ben-Gurion Airport after a flight arranged by Nefesh B’Nefesh. (credit: FLASH90)

Members of the RZP and Otzma Yehudit are most eager to make changes in this law, and many members of the Likud and the ultra-Orthodox parties are also interested in making certain changes, yet this isn't at the top of their priority list.

Many ministers have already said in recent months that the amendment of the Grandchild Clause in the Law of Return isn't expected to take place in the near future.