The background to the session: a 2026 budget with no allocation for Ethiopian aliyah, an undiscussed Kanfo report, and an audit that was opened

Why an article about something seven months old

On 7 September 2026 the Knesset Aliyah Committee held a session at which it emerged that a delegation had found Law of Return eligibles in Ethiopia — we covered it separately. That session does not take place in a vacuum, and without the background it is hard to understand why MKs reacted to it as they did.

This article gathers what came before. The reports it rests on are from January and February 2026 — they are not this week's news, and they are marked as such deliberately.

The budget

Per a report by Yahel Farag in Davar, 28 January 2026, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration's 2026 budget contains no dedicated allocation for aliyah from Ethiopia — the fourth consecutive year.

In the same report: roughly 1,226 people whose aliyah has already been approved cannot immigrate because of budget constraints, while thousands wait in camps in Gondar and Addis Ababa.

Per the report, the ministry did allocate resources to encourage immigration from English-speaking countries, including ten positions dedicated to recruitment in North America.

The office of Minister Ofir Sofer responded that a delegation would shortly examine eligibility under the Law of Return, saying: "If Law of Return eligibles are found, there will be no budgetary obstacle to their aliyah." That delegation is precisely the one whose findings were discussed in the Knesset on 7 September 2026.

The Kanfo report

Per the same report, a committee headed by Lt. Col. Harel Kanfo, established at Minister Sofer's request, submitted a report in June 2024 presenting four alternatives for continuing aliyah from Ethiopia. The report was not brought before the government for discussion.

The State Comptroller audit

On 11 February 2026 Davar (Yahel Farag) reported that State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman announced the opening of an audit examining the implementation of government decisions on the aliyah of the remnant of Ethiopian Jewry and Zera Israel, "with the aim of presenting the Knesset a complete picture and spurring action". The announcement was made at a session of the Knesset State Control Committee. Per the report, Englman did not commit to a timeline for submitting the findings.

Since Operation Tzur Israel ended in July 2023, the same report stated, no immigrants have come from Ethiopia.

What is still unknown

When the comptroller's findings will be submitted. No date has been set.
Whether and when one of the Kanfo committee's four alternatives will be discussed by the government.
What will be done about the 1,226 approved immigrants still waiting.

We will follow and update. If your situation or a family member's touches on one of these questions, see our rights guides and our organisations directory.

Tedros reports this as fact and takes no position.