Foreign Ministry: 1,500 applications received from Ukrainian refugees, 800 approved

15 March 2022, 3:17 pm

Edit

Ukrainian refugees in the lobby of Warsaw's Novotel Hotel, where the Jewish Agency has established a temporary headquarters, March 13, 2022. (Carrie Keller-Lynn/The Times of Israel)

A Foreign Ministry representative tells the Knesset that over the last two days Israel has received 1,500 applications for residency from Ukrainian refugees and 800 have already been approved.

The applications were made under a new framework approved by Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked in which Ukrainian refugees with family members in Israel can enter the country regardless of the quota of refugees set by the country.

“Out of those, 910 applications have been dealt with and 800 approved. Those who were rejected were usually illegal residents,” says Eyal Siso, adding that 30 ministry staffers are dealing solely with the issue.