Hundreds of Ethiopian-Israelis and their supporters gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem Sunday, to demand the government uphold its pledge to bring the remaining 8,000 Jews living in the East African country to Israel.
Among those who took part in Sunday's protest were lawmakers, activists from the Ethiopian community and relatives of those who have not been authorized to make aliyah.
One of the protesters, who made aliyah from Ethiopia 19 years ago, called for Israel to allow her 99-year-old grandmother to immigrate to the country.
"My grandmother lives alone in Ethiopia, without her family, her children and grandchildren. This is a woman who was like a second mother to me and my siblings. The whole family has already moved to Israel except for her and a month ago, I went to visit her for the first time in 19 years and I stood opposite her, tears streaming from my eyes, my body trembling, and she hugged me tightly."
She said her message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was that "promises must be kept."
In 2015, Israel agreed in principle to bring over the remaining Ethiopians who have Israeli relatives, vowing that it would be the last round of Ethiopian immigration and clearing the way for the arrival of 1,300 people last year.
The government in March declined to approve funding for the relocation of the Ethiopian community in its 2019 budget but said a special ministerial committee would discuss the issue. A date for that meeting has not been announced.
