Interior minister against automatic citizenship for olim

"It is inconceivable that people who immigrate to Israel are awarded citizenship in so short a period," said Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit on Tuesday in a controversial speech before the Jewish Agency Board of

Trustees.

Sheetrit proposed that Israel amend the Law of Return, one of the nation's founding principles which allows anyone of Jewish parentage to immigrate freely to Israel and be eligible for citizenship.

The amended law, said Sheetrit, would require new immigrants to reside in Israel for five years before being considered potential citizens. Candidates would have to swear allegiance to the country as well as pass a language test to ensure their knowledge of Hebrew is sufficient.

The minister also addressed the issue of facilitating the immigration of more Ethiopian Jews to Israel: "If the matter were up to me, I would invest more funds in aiding the community already in Israel as opposed to bringing more here."

As for the lost tribes, Sheetrit urged Board members to concentrate their efforts on the Jews already in Israel rather than investing resources in bringing the tribes to Israel. Some of these immigrants, said Sheetrit, only came to Israel after having had forged the papers proving their supposed eligibility.

Sheetrit isn't the only one who opposes the current wording of the law. Last month MK Effie Eitam (National Union-Mafdal) said that he intended to file for an amendment of the Law of Return that would revoke the right of non-Jews to immigrate to Israel. He included in that category those who only have one Jewish grandparent.

Immigrant Absorption Minister Jacob Edery also recently pointed out several weaknesses in the law and said that "we must think of all the consequences that could result from the arrival and settling down of different ethnic groups in Israel."

The Jewish Agency said in response that "the State of Israel must remain open to any Jew, without any conditions."