The Jewish Agency for Israel's Board of Governors, consisting of leaders of Jewish communities and organizations from all over the world, has called on Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to grant legal status to more than 500 people who came to Israel as minors and to ensure that all migrants are afforded a transparent asylum application process.
Meeting in the northern town of Zichron Ya’akov, the board noted that the youth were integrated in the education system of youth villages operated by the agency and the Ministry of Education, saying “These youngsters have grown up in an Israeli educational environment, speak fluent Hebrew, are imbued with Israeli culture, and are loyal to the State of Israel."