As missiles were being fired from Iran and Lebanon, a special flight carrying more than 50 new immigrants from France and Britain landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday this week. The operation, organized by the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, the Jewish Agency and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, brought more than 20 young families and 11 lone immigrants to Israel in the midst of the most difficult war the country has faced in years.
There were four babies on the flight, the youngest just 5 months old. The oldest immigrant on board was 92. The entire absorption process was carried out on the plane under a special procedure, so that upon landing all of them received Israeli ID cards and immigrant certificates. They are set to be absorbed by local authorities across the country, including Netanya, Jerusalem, Ashkelon, Modiin, Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Ashdod, Arad, Hadera and Rishon Lezion.
Even before the flight departed from France, professional staff from the ministry, the Jewish Agency and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews arrived in Paris to assist with the final procedures. "A plane with 50 new immigrants from France, and more than 100 immigrants landing here even between missile barrages, is a powerful statement by world Jewry and a show of support for the State of Israel," Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer said. "The Jewish people see the actions and bravery of the State of Israel and choose to be part of it."
'A statement of values'
According to figures from the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency, more than 60,000 immigrants have moved to Israel since Oct. 7. Even now, around 1,000 Jews from around the world are seeking to immigrate to Israel and have opened Aliyah files despite the ongoing war and daily sirens.
Jewish Agency Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog said the immigrants' arrival in the middle of the fighting carried special significance. "At a time when Israel is under attack and the home front is coping with sustained fire, new immigrants are arriving in Israel and choosing to join the Israeli story דווקא עכשיו," he said. "This is not just immigration. It is a statement of values, of unconditional love, of belonging and of mutual responsibility. When a young family, a 5-month-old baby or a 92-year-old immigrant chooses to come here in the midst of war, they remind all of us why we are here."
Two of the young immigrants who arrived alone will be absorbed into the Jewish Agency's Etzion program at the Ra'anana absorption center. The program is intended for immigrants ages 18 to 35 who arrive without family and provides them with a community framework, language assistance and help finding work.
'A year of revolution in Aliyah'
Yael Eckstein, president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, said, "The arrival of these immigrants at this time is a powerful reminder of the resilience and hope of the Jewish people. דווקא בתקופה של tension and war with Iran, their choice to immigrate to Israel fills the heart with pride and emotion."
World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel added, "The immigrants' arrival דווקא בימים מורכבים אלו is a moving expression of extraordinary Zionism. At a time when the State of Israel is facing war with Iran and a challenging security reality, alongside a troubling wave of antisemitism, there are Jews who choose not to run from their identity but to draw closer to it and come home."
At the same time as the immigrants arrived, the Knesset Finance Committee approved for second and third readings a bill that would grant a 100% tax exemption to new immigrants and returning residents. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote, "Zionism has always stood on three pillars: settlement, security and Aliyah. We have been investing in security for the past two and a half years, and especially now in a war that is reshaping the region. 2026 will be a year of revolution in Aliyah, not as a slogan but as a practical work plan."
The operation was named "Aliyah of the Lions," in line with operation "Roaring Lion", currently underway in Iran and Lebanon.
Immigrants from France and Britain
France has been the largest source of immigration from Western Europe in recent years, with an average of about 3,000 to 4,000 immigrants a year. Immigration from Britain has been on the rise over the past two years, with about 1,500 to 2,000 immigrants annually. Officials at the Jewish Agency estimate that the current war and the wave of antisemitism in Europe could increase immigration from those countries by 20% to 30% in 2026.
