Netanyahu highlights ties with Ethiopia and Somaliland, saying Israel will continue bringing Ethiopian Jews home

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s ties with Ethiopia and Somaliland in a campaign interview circulated online Monday, while defending his record toward Israel’s Ethiopian community.

Netanyahu said he had a “very close relationship” with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and recalled Abiy once telling him during a visit to Israel that he was, in Netanyahu’s paraphrase, “a Bibist” — a supporter of the Israeli prime minister.

He said Israel maintained close relations with Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Somaliland, noting that Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland as an independent state.

Netanyahu also pointed to his governments’ role in bringing Ethiopian Jews to Israel in several waves, saying “there is more to come.” Israel has continued programs facilitating the immigration of members of Ethiopia’s Jewish community and relatives of Israelis.

Addressing racism and discrimination, Netanyahu said he had fought what he described as unacceptable racial discrimination and misconduct by some police officers toward Ethiopian Israelis. His governments established committees and programs to address discrimination after major protests by the community, although complaints about unequal policing and racism have persisted.

Asked why Likud lacked a prominent Ethiopian candidate, Netanyahu responded with a campaign joke: “There is an Ethiopian candidate in Likud. His name is Benjamin Netanyahu,” arguing that his own record should be judged by actions rather than symbolic representation on the party list.