Israel authorizes opening refugee camps in Azerbaijan, Finland

The Israeli government approved on October 3 a proposal to expedite the immigration of Russians who qualify under the Law of Return.

The proposal by the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, in conjunction with the Finance Ministry, for a new emergency plan for the absorption of Russian olim, was drafted by Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman and Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The government authorized the Jewish Agency to establish temporary camps in Finland and Azerbaijan for Russian Jews who seek to immigrate to Israel. These camps will work like the camps in Romania and Poland for Ukrainian refugees. Jewish Agency officials told The Jerusalem Post that it will establish a mechanism to assist Jewish Russian olim.

Due to recent developments in Russia, tens of thousands of aliyah candidates are expected to arrive in Israel in the coming months. According to the decision, until an individual’s eligibility under the Law of Return is clarified, they will receive the rights that all immigrants are given, including an absorption package and subsistence allowance. This decision is based on the previous waves of aliyah from Ukraine, during which it was proven that over 90% were found to be eligible.

In addition, it is expected to provide a holistic response in a variety of areas, including housing, employment, health, education and more. The Finance Ministry will immediately allocate NIS 90 million ($25.4 million), will monitor developments and allocate additional resources as needed.

According to the estimates of the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, a very significant increase in immigration is expected due to the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to the ministry, since the invasion of Ukraine in February, over 40,000 new immigrants have arrived, approximately 24,000 of them from Russia. This is the most significant wave in two decades.