Content overview: “Ethiopia's Forgotten Jews: The Fight for a Visa to Israel”. Ethiopia is home to one of the world's oldest Jewish communities, with traditions tracing back to the legendary union of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon in 950 BC. This community, known as Beta Israel, faced severe persecution under Ethiopia's Communist regime from the 1970s to the 1990s. In response, Israel conducted dramatic airlifts, including Operation Moses and Operation Solomon, evacuating more than 20,000 Ethiopian Jews to safety. Despite these rescue efforts, a few thousand members of the community were left behind.
Today, they continue to dream of obtaining a visa to Israel, hoping to reunite with family and fulfill their religious and cultural aspirations. Their plight highlights the complexities of immigration, identity, and the unfinished business of historical rescue missions. This story is part of FRANCE 24's ongoing coverage of the Ethiopian Jewish community's struggle. For the complete material, the listing points back to the source inside the network.