The Jerusalem Post is exclusively reporting that the North American Conference On Ethiopian Jewry-run compound in Addis Ababa may be officially reopened by the Ethiopian government.
The compound was closed after unfounded allegations of abuse were made to the Ethiopian government by two Ethiopian Jews, at least one of whom – rescued in early 1984 from the Sudan and at one time a resident of Canada – is rumored to have been driven out of the Sudanese refugee camps in 1984 by his fellow Jews after being caught misappropriating funds meant for relief. Just as there were competing 'wings' in the Israeli intelligence community in the early 1980's, one supporting rescue and one opposed, it may be that a similar split exists today.
Additionally, unlike the early 1980's there is also a small section of the Israeli Ethiopian community that opposes rescue and views the Falash Mura – whose immediate ancestors were forced to convert to Christianity – as traitors.
During this latest purge, members of the Falash Mura community have been jailed by the Ethiopian government and many more are in hiding.
As the sad case of Avishai Raviv demonstrates, it is not out of the question for Israeli intelligence to use agent provocateurs.