Netanyahu in Paris trying to increase immigration of French Jews to Israel

The bodies of four French Jews killed in a hostage standoff in a Paris grocery store will be buried in Israel, Israel’s prime minister said Sunday.

In a statement issued from Paris, Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he had “acceded to the request of the families of the victims of the murderous terror attack” and directed “all the relevant government bodies” to assist in bringing the bodies to Israel. A funeral is tentatively set for Tuesday.

The Jews were killed in the hostage standoff at the kosher supermarket in Paris. They were among 17 people killed in a wave of terror attacks carried out over three days last week by militants claiming allegiance to the Islamic State extremist group and al-Qaida.

Netanyahu is in Paris with more than 40 world leaders to attend a massive rally to honour victims of the attacks.

Netanyahu on Saturday said he will try to increase immigration of French Jews and others in Europe suffering from a “rising tide of anti-Semitism.” He also asked French President Francois Hollande to maintain heightened security at Jewish institutions.

Last year, France topped the immigration list to Israel, according to the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency. Nearly 7,000 new immigrants came in 2014, double the number from the previous year.

GN/AP