Photo Courtesy: ukhrultimes
Imphal: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially welcomed 650 new immigrants from the Bnei Menashe community to Israel during a meeting in Nof HaGalil on Thursday. These individuals arrived throughout the past month as part of the government initiative known as Operation Wings of Dawn.
During the event, Netanyahu emphasized that immigration, national security, and the growth of the Galilee region serve as a unified national priority. Addressing the new arrivals, he said, "I came to tell you, welcome back home. This is your home. We are happy that you are here with us."
The Bnei Menashe are members of the Kuki ethnic group from the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, tracing their lineage back to the biblical Tribe of Menashe. Nof HaGalil has become a primary center for the community, which now accounts for over 2,500 residents in the city. Recent years have been difficult for the population in India, with ethnic violence in Manipur during 2023 causing widespread displacement and the destruction of a synagogue.
Launched in November 2025, Operation Wings of Dawn aims to relocate the approximately 5,800 remaining Bnei Menashe members to Israel by 2030, a process managed by the Jewish Agency. The community has integrated deeply into Israeli society, with roughly 300 members serving in the Israel Defense Forces by late 2024. Two staff sergeants from the community have died in combat while serving in the military.
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