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Jewish immigration to Israel up in 2005, reflecting downturn in violence

By Associated Press December 29, 2005

North American and French Jews moved to Israel in record levels this year, contributing to the first annual increase in overall immigration since 1999, officials said Wednesday, reflecting relative calm after five years of Palestinian-Israeli violence.

By the end of 2005, about 23,000 new immigrants will have arrived in Israel, according to preliminary figures, compared to 22,134 last year, reversing a downward trend that began in 1999, said Michael Jankelowitz, a Jewish Agency spokesman.

This year the Jewish Agency counted 3,052 immigrants from North America, compared to 2,640 last year and the highest number of immigrants from North America since 1983, the Jewish Agency said.

From France, 2,980 immigrants will have come to Israel by the end of the year, the most since 1972, the agency said.

There was also a rise in the number of young people coming to Israel for educational programs, the Jewish Agency said in a statement.

This year, 29,712 young Jews from around the world participated in educational programs in Israel, compared to 28,822 last year.

Agency officials attributed the increases to a downturn in violence that followed a February Israeli-Palestinian truce after five years of conflict.

"After several difficult years we've been through, we believe that the improvement in the security and economic situation will increase the feeling of security," Zeev Bielski, chairman of the Jewish Agency, said in a statement.

The "Law of Return" grants Israeli citizenship to anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent.

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