Israeli citizen kidnapped in Ethiopia's Amhara region

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday evening that an Israeli citizen was kidnapped while visiting Ethiopia. 

‘’Last night we received a report about an Israeli national kidnapped in Ethiopia in the Gondar region," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Without identifying his name, the ministry added that the "consular department is in contact with his family members, and also acts vis-a-vis the Interpol. Israel's consul in Ethiopia is in contact with local security authorities in order to bring his release soon and in good health."

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that the person kidnapped is of Ethiopian origin. The 79-year-old Israeli was kidnapped during a trip to Ethiopia a few days ago in the Gondar region. He had sent a voice message to his family members, pleading, "Help me. I'm in the middle of the jungle. It's pouring rain," KAN reported.

He then sent another message, saying, "I should have come on Sunday and I'll probably stay here. Such a fate should not even be bestowed on one’s enemies." A picture of him handcuffed was attached to the message.

According to KAN, the man was probably robbed and the incident is likely of a criminal and not a political nature. It is unclear what he was doing in Gondar, the capital of the Amhara region. Most of the Ethiopian Jews who immigrated to Israel in the past three decades came from Gondar. The victim may have been visiting relatives, even though very few Jews still live there. 

The kidnapping of the Israeli man in Ethiopia comes one week only after a statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office revealing that Israeli-Russian Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped at the end of March in Iraq. Since that statement, Israeli authorities have volunteered no other details, neither on her exact whereabouts nor on the contacts conducted for her release.