0,000 Soviet Jews are expected to have entered Israel alone in 1990. Analysts predict that another 1 million will arrive in the next three to four years.
Already these well educated, highly motivated immigrants are transforming Israel. In turn, the consequences of the immigration movement are affecting Israel's relations with nations such as the United States, as well as with Israel's Arab neighbors. While the United States has historically provided economic and technology assistance to Israel under favored-nation status, Israel previous policy toward settling immigrants into the West Bank has had serious repercussions. At issue is Congressional approval of some $3 billion in aid annually. Just this year, Israel's Shamir government asked for, and received, an additional $400 million for housing Soviet Jews alone.
The issue has been controversial however because of the usage of these funds. The U.S., Soviet Union and Palestinians specify that no Soviet Jews should be settled in the West Bank outside of Israel's pre-1967 borders. In addition, the U.S. and Israel have clashed over the entire issue of settling the three-year-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict over self-rule in the West Bank. Israel's dependence on Washington for funding housing for Soviet Jews may undermine their strength in delaying settlement of this issue in favor of the Palestinians.
Prior to 1991, incoming Soviet Jews received an average of approximately $16,000 in living subsidies for housing and food for the first year of their arrival in Israel. This has had a ripple effect on housing. Current plans for housing the massive influx of Soviet Jews include construction of 70,000 new dwellings, renovation of about 4,000 public housing units and repurchase of unsold homes or apartments. However, housing efforts are falling behind at a more rapid rate than projected population increases. The Israeli Supreme Court rejected a plan to order cons...