Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz today summoned his senior economic advisor Dr. Avi Simhon to clarify comments made about Russian immigrants at the Commerce and Industrial Club in Tel Aviv on Friday. "More than 400,000 immigrants who were never Jewish came to Israel, but who may have had one grandparent who was once Jewish. They came here because they received immigrants' benefits and we agreed to take them in," he said.
Simhon also compared the Russians to African migrant labors who are infiltrating into Israel. "If we absorbed them, why don’t we absorb the infiltrators from Africa? They too would be happy to undergo a fast-track conversion process."
Before meeting Simhon today, Steinitz said, "It's obvious to me that that is not what he meant. The immigration from Russia made a huge contribution to Israel, its security and its economy. I hope that this welcome immigration will continue in full force under the Law of Return."
Simhon told Steinitz that the commentary about his remarks changed them to imply that he opposed immigration from Russia and the Law of Return, which was far from his actual position. He apologized to anyone offended. "It is in general hard to doubt the huge contribution of this immigration to the country, its strength, security, economy, and culture," he said.
Simhon's remarks ignited a political firestorm and calls for his resignation. Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver (Israel Beiteinu) said, "Immigration from CIS countries changed the country and boosted its economy. Even the prime minister said that this immigration saved the State of Israel."
MK Shlomo (Neguse) Molla (Kadima), who was born in Ethiopia, said, "The finance minister should get rid of this advisor who whispers in his ear, and fire him."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 26, 2010
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