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World Jewish News
Lea Shemtov: "Israeli structures in the CIS should not compete with each other"
19.05.2009
On the 19th of May, today the Commission on alliyah and absorption discussed the work of the governmental Liaison Bureau ("Nativ").
The Commission Chairman Lea Shemtov (Israel Beiteinu) said: the work of "Nativ" is carried out in different directions, including programs aimed at encouraging the repatriation of youth. Projects such as "Taglit," engaged in attracting young doctors, are worthy of special attention.
"But we can notignore the catastrophic decline in repatriation over the past eight years," said Shemtov. "And if in 2000, 50 762 people arrived in Israel, then in 2008 this number was only 5313 people. Of course, the repatriation to Israel is influenced by a huge number of external factors, such as improving the economic situation in the countries of origin, reduction of anti-Semitism, and much more. But Israel, for its part, must do everything possible to support potential repatriates, as well as those who have already arrived."
One of the key issues, according to the Head of «Nativ» Naomi Ben-Ami, is that various international Jewish organizations operating in the former Soviet Union, clearly do not encourage the repatriation to Israel.
"We are all doing a great thing - for the benefit of Israel and the Jewish people, and therefore I believe that there is no place for strife, and various Israeli structures acting on the territory of the former Soviet Union, should not compete with each other, but work with maximize coordination," said Lea Shemtov (Israel Beiteinu) while summing up the meeting.
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![Lea Shemtov: "Israeli structures in the CIS should not compete with each other"](http://img.jewseurasia.org/data/image/cats/15/logo.png "Lea Shemtov: "Israeli structures in the CIS should not compete with each other""){kind=logo}
