Operation Solomon

In 1991, the sitting Ethiopian government, the Mariam regime, was close to being toppled with the recent military successes of Eritrean and Tigrean rebels, threatening Ethiopia with dangerous political destabilization. Several Jewish organizations, including the state of Israel, were concerned about the well-being of the sizable population of Ethiopian Jews, properly referred to as Beta Israel, residing in Ethiopia. Also, the Mariam regime had made mass emigration difficult for Beta Israel residing in Ethiopia, and the regime's dwindling power presented a promising opportunity for those Beta Israel who had been wanting to emigrate to Israel. In the previous year, 1990, the Israeli government and Israeli Defense Forces, aware of Miriam's worsening political situation, made covert plans to airlift the Beta Israel population in Ethiopia to Israel. This became the largest emigration of Beta Israel to date.

Related Topics:
Ethiopia - Eritrean - Tigrean - Israel - Ethiopian Jews - Beta Israel - Israeli government - Israeli Defense Forces

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In 36 hours, non-stop flights of 34 El Al C-130s, filled to absolute capacity with seats transported 14,325 Beta Israel émigres from Ethiopia to Israel, where they were given food and shelter. After it was over, Operation Solomon brought twice as many Beta Israel émigres to their spiritual homeland as Operation Moses and Operation Joshua combined.

Related Topics:
El Al - C-130 - Beta Israel - Operation Solomon - Operation Moses - Operation Joshua

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