Middle Eastern migrants in Europe. Photo: Gémes Sándor/SzomSzed via Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Israeli Immigrant Absorption Minister Zeev Elkin, who accompanied Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a trip to Berlin on Monday, was scheduled to meet with German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on Tuesday to discuss the current influx of migrants into Germany from Syria and North Africa.

The Germans have asked Elkin to present the Israeli model of immigrant absorption so that they can implement the relevant aspects domestically. Elkin remarked on Monday that the Israeli model includes methods of handling large waves of immigration and that despite the differences between the immigration to Israel and to Germany there are a lot of commonalities that can be studied and implemented.

According to assessments, about 1 million refugees have entered Germany recently. The Israeli immigrant absorption model proposes a one-year plan that also focuses on young men and women and families. The advantage of the Israeli model is that today, one Israeli ministry provides solutions to all immigrant issues including education, welfare, health, housing and government aid.

In addition, Israel’s Immigrant Absorption Ministry is offering to share with the German authorities the burden of documenting the migrants’ language studies, housing preferences, food requirements and job needs. This documentation will help the German authorities assist the migrants, whether they are absorbed in Germany or sent back to their countries of origin.