An MK for a day: Aleli Admasu

Ethiopian-born Aleli Admasu sworn in to Likud ahead of Knesset dismissal.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Knesset (photo credit: © Reuters)
Knesset
(photo credit: © Reuters)
MK Aleli Admasu (Likud) was sworn in on Monday afternoon, marking the second time there are two Ethiopian MKs in the Knesset at the same time.
Admasu replaces Minister-without-Portfolio Yossi Peled, who resigned from the Knesset in September.
The other Ethiopian immigrant in the 18th Knesset is MK Shlomo Molla (Kadima), who overlapped with Ethiopian-born MK Mazor Bahyna (Shas) from April 2008 until Febuary of 2009.
“What are the chances that someone born to a family of 11 children in a small Ethiopian village would be standing here?” Admasu asked, in his first and last speech to the 18th Knesset.
The new Likud lawmaker added that he hopes to represent his party in the 19th Knesset, as well. Admasu is considered an MK until after the next Knesset is sworn in in over three months. As such, he is not the MK with the shortest term ever; that honor belongs to Labor’s Effi Oshaya, who resigned hours after he was sworn in.
Admasu, 50, is a father of seven from Rishon Lezion who made aliya from Ethiopia in 1983. During his IDF service, he participated in Operation Solomon, which brought more than 14,000 Ethiopian immigrants to Israel. He worked for the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry for 14 years training Ethiopian immigrants for employment. Admesu also served as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s adviser on the Ethiopian community.