Germany's Jews warn PM not to promote immigration to Israel
haaretz.com
>>The leaders of Germany's Jewish community have warned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert they would request the German government's help in preventing Israel from encouraging Jews settled in Germany to immigrate to Israel.
Stephan J. Kramer, who heads the Central Council of Jews in Germany, sent the warning following Israel's decision last week to extend the jurisdiction of Nativ , the government body in charge of promoting immigration from the Former Soviet Union to Israel. Nativ and the Jewish Agency will cooperate in running ulpans (Hebrew courses) and other educational programs in Germany, which is home to some 200,000 Russian-speaking Jews who moved there from the Former Soviet Union in recent years.
Two Nativ operatives are supposed to begin operating in Germany this September. Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim, who opposed the Nativ decision, charged that such action would be wasteful, as such activities are currently performed by the Jewish Agency.
Nativ has long sought permission to operate in Germany, but was blocked by Jewish Agency opposition. Recently, however, Nativ was transferred from the Prime Minister's Office to the new Strategic Affairs Ministry, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, who has said in the past that he favors replacing the American-dominated Jewish Agency with Nativ entirely.
Nativ also sought to extend its field of operations to North America, but the Foreign Ministry foiled this option, arguing it would jeopardize Israel's relations with Washington and with the U.S. Jewish community.<<
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