Aliyah Minister urges Israel to prepare for wave of French immigrants as student protests intensify
France experienced what was described as a “day of rage” on Tuesday, which was expected to mark the peak of clashes that had unfolded across the country in recent days.
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer urged Israel to prepare a plan to absorb a potential mass wave of French Jewish immigrants during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Sofer stated that barriers must be removed to facilitate their arrival, and the plan should also assist less affluent members of the French Jewish community. This comes after days of intense unrest in France, with protests erupting across the country.
The clashes intensified on Tuesday, dubbed a "day of rage," with confrontations occurring in various locations. Student-led protests, primarily in poorer suburbs of Paris like Saint-Denis, involved blocking entrances, blocking roads, setting garbage bins ablaze, and attacking police and civilians. Critics attribute the unrest to far-left party La France Insoumise, led by anti-Israel politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and the involvement of immigrants and children of immigrants in the violence.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed allocating funding to aid economically vulnerable immigrants and housing projects to accommodate the anticipated influx. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed Smotrich, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, and Sofer to develop a joint plan. National Missions Minister Orit Strock emphasized the need for Israel to prepare for the possibility of protesters targeting Jews, warning that Jews in France are afraid to display Jewish symbols due to fear of attack.
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