(Photo: SID-Israel)
By Abigail Klein Leichman - April 13, 2022
The world has taken little notice of the civil war raging in Ethiopia for the last two years.
This greatly troubles Ethiopian-born Israeli parliamentarian Gadi Yevarkan. This week, he is leading a top-level Israeli medical factfinding mission to his native country.
“It is estimated that over half a million people have died in this war, millions have been displaced from their homes, and over 10 million people are on the verge of starvation (according to a UN report),” Yevarkan posted on Instagram.
“I, like every Israeli, proudly see the humanitarian efforts of healthcare workers and civil society organizations in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and at the same time I am excited that finally, after a lengthy work process, an Israeli delegation … will convey to the world in general and the Ethiopian people in particular, a message of deep friendship between Israel and Ethiopia.”
A couple of months ago, Yevarkan asked Alon Beer, director general of The Society for International Development’s Israel branch (SID-Israel) to organize a roundtable meeting in the Knesset to raise awareness and discuss how Israel could help.
Read More: Israel21c