Immigration to Israel Decreases 17 percent in 2000

Immigration to the Jewish state decreased 17 percent last year, totaling 60,000 immigrants, reported Haaretz newspaper, citing a report by the central bureau of statistics. “Although the former Soviet Union remains the main source of immigrants to Israel, there has been a 40 percent drop from the previous year,” said the report. 

20 percent of the 2000 immigrants were children up to the age of 14, and some 9.4 percent were over the age of 65, added the report.  

It added that the least popular region for settlement by Russian immigrants is Jerusalem, with only 8 percent going to the capital, while 15 percent choose Haifa as their home – Albawaba.com