The Democrats MK Gilad Kariv took over as head of the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs, replacing Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer, based on earlier agreements between the opposition parties.
In his remarks prior to handing over the committee to Kariv, Forer said the committee’s activities have changed after the October 7 massacre. The ensuing war brought new challenges regarding aliyah, absorption of new immigrants, and antisemitism directed against Jews in the Diaspora. Forer pointed out there were still more Jews in the Diaspora than in Israel and argued that this should change.
Kariv began by giving the floor to Lee Siegel, brother of Keith Siegel, who was released from Hamas captivity on February 1 after 484 days in captivity. Lee called on the government to continue bringing home the hostages, both alive and dead, saying that “deals bring home hostages.”
Siegel said that just two days after coming back from captivity, his brother requested to join the struggle to bring home the remaining hostages. Keith did not understand how the return of the hostages had become a political bone of contention, Siegel said. He demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speed up the process of the release of hostages.
Kariv said he did not intend to ignore contentious issues. He would continue Forer’s activity on issues such as the treatment of lone soldiers during the ongoing war but said he would also deal with new issues as part of the committee’s role to oversee the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Diaspora Affairs Ministry.
New issues which Kariv will face
These included state investment in encouraging aliyah; conversion and other issues regarding religion and state; the struggle against antisemitism and the safety of Jewish communities abroad; encouraging couples with one non-Israeli to remain in Israel; the struggle to prevent emigration and connection with Israelis who emigrated; and the ongoing brain drain.
Kariv stressed that he would cooperate with all streams of Judaism and that he counted the 350,000 immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who are officially considered “lacking religion,” as Jews.
Forer outlined the main issues he dealt with as committee chair in a booklet. These included housing and employment for new olim, Hebrew studies for immigrants, making information more accessible for them, interactions between the banking system and new olim, lone soldiers, racism and violence against new immigrants, and the disappearance and possible kidnapping of Haymanot Kasau.
Former Knesset member Dov Lipman, founder and CEO of Yad L’Olim, said, “I was present for close to all of the 283 committee hearings led by MK Forer to raise the voice of all olim before the committee. In addition, we at Yad L’Olim brought issues facing olim to MK Forer, which he then brought to the committee and addressed.
“On behalf of all olim, we thank MK Forer for his dedication to improving the lives of olim and making the process of aliyah easier for Jews who seek to make Israel their home. There are many pressing issues that remain on the table, and we look forward to working with MK Gilad Kariv, the new committee chairman, to further improve the lives of olim and to help more Jews make aliyah.”
