Jews should not be granted automatic citizenship under the Law of Return, an Israeli Cabinet member said.
Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit made the comments Tuesday at the Jewish Agency Board of Governors meeting in Jerusalem.
“I’d like to see that [the immigrant] is not a criminal, that he’s learning Hebrew, that he’s here for five years before getting citizenship,” he said.
Sheetrit also said he would not let in potential immigrants who say they are descendants of Jews.
“Don’t go finding me any lost tribes because I won’t let them in anymore,” he said. “We have enough problems in Israel. Let them go to America.”
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