The United Jewish Communities of North America on Thursday issued an unusual statement accusing the Israeli government of reneging on its promises, in view of the Finance Ministry's intention to reduce the monthly quota of Ethiopian immigrants from 300 to 150.

About 18 months ago, the government decided to increase the monthly quota of Falashmura immigrants from 300 to 600, and asked American Jewry for urgent assistance. The prime minister at the time, Ariel Sharon, even made a personal appeal to Jewish community leaders in the U.S. when he visited New York last year. The response was a special campaign entitled "Operation Promise," which set the goal of raising $100 million to bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel and help settle them.

The UJC is incensed that the government not only defaulted on its pledge to increase the rate of immigration from Ethiopia but now intends to reduce it by half, as part of the proposed Economic Arrangements Bill for 2007.

The UJC statement said that not only had $70 million been raised so far for the Falashmura, but in the past month U.S. Jews had contributed an additional $270 million in an emergency campaign to aid Israelis, including Ethiopians, who were hurt by the war.