Participants at Monday's Immigration and Absorption Conference in  Ashdod related to the difficulties of immigrants from the previous Soviet Union and Ethiopia throughout their absorption into the Israeli society. The Absorption Ministry presented a poll which displayed a hostile attitude of the Israeli society towards the immigrant population.

Dr. Zeev Hanin, Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Absorption told TV spoke that the word 'racism' does not portray the phenomenon. Southern District Police Commander Yohanan Danino presented data which showed that the percentage of police files opened against immigrants from Ethiopia and Eastern Europe in 2009 match the percentage of immigrants in the society. The figures refute a poll that linked an increase in crime and violence with immigration.

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