Aizawl, Aug 6 (IANS) Nine Indian jews, who migrated to Israel from the northeast, are fighting for their new homeland in its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to media reports here.

While they had donned the uniform of Israel, their original homeland India has strongly condemned Israel's indiscriminate bombing in Lebanon, which has killed more than 700 people since hostilities began July 12, and sought an immediate truce in the Middle East.

The nine have been identified as: Samuel Manashe, Eitan Ralte, Yitzchak Hmar, Binyamin Zadeng, Yosef Manashe (all from Mizoram), Tamir Beitet, Avi Ahngshing, Liel Lunkhel (all from Manipur) and Gershon Chawnglai (Assam).

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had told the Shavei Israel - an organisation dedicated to searching for lost tribes of Israel - that those immigrants fighting for the country's cause would be granted citizenship.

According to Israeli law, every Jew enjoys the right of return or the right of abode in Israel.

Israel's interior ministry is flooded with applications from the people in India's northeast seeking to migrate to Israel, which they say is their promised land.

At least 800 people from Mizoram and Manipur have migrated to Israel during the past decade, the last batch of 71 people leaving for Jerusalem in May 2003.

In May 2005, the orthodox religious group Sephardic had given recognition to those Mizos who believe they are descendants of Manashe and gave them the title of "B'nei Manase" which means sons of Manashe.

Members of the 6,000-strong Bnei Menashe tribe in Mizoram and Manipur believe they are descendants of ancient Israelites or one of the Biblical 10 lost tribes.

In Israel, Indian Jews form an estimated community of 60,000.