Overview
- Gideon Sa’ar issued the appeal at a Hanukkah candle-lighting in Rishon LeZion, calling on Jews in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada and Belgium to immigrate to Israel.
- He cited the Dec. 14 shooting at a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed 15 people, which Australian authorities say was inspired by Islamic State ideology.
- Sa’ar said Israel has urged foreign governments to take concrete steps against rising antisemitism and accused most of allowing hostility toward Jews to go unchecked.
- He emphasized that Israel stands ready to receive families under the 1950 Law of Return, which grants Jews and those with a Jewish grandparent the right to immigrate and obtain citizenship.
- The speech also carried a political edge, as Sa’ar criticized opposition leaders over their wartime stances while presenting Israel as the secure home for Jews worldwide.