April 26, 2010

Jewish Agency hopes British decision to take in Jews marks victory over anti-Israel haredi elements interested in absorbing them in US

Yemeni Jews (archives) Photo: Reuters

by Danny Adino Ababa

The 200 Jews living in Yemen under tight security will immigrate to Britain rather than to the United States as originally planned.

The move constitutes a dramatic change in the State of Israel's battle over the Yemeni Jews against anti-Israeli haredi elements interested in absorbing them in the US.

Following secret negotiations, the British government declared three weeks ago that it would take in the Jews.

Jewish Agency officials expressed their satisfaction with the British decision, saying they hoped it marked a victory over the extreme Neturei Karta faction, which is operating among Yemen's Jews with the aim of convincing them not to immigrate to Israel.