Israel moves to avert closure of Jewish immigration agency in Russia

An Israeli delegation will travel to Russia next week in an effort to ensure the Jewish Agency, which facilitates and encourages Jewish immigration to Israel, will be able to continue to operate in the country.

The move follows the decision by Russia’s justice ministry on Thursday asking a Moscow court to close the offices of the agency.

The official reason cited by Moscow was that the organisation violated privacy laws and actively worked to encourage Russian Jewish scientists and businesspeople to emigrate to the detriment of the country.

But Israel believes that the move is linked to the recent appointment of Yair Lapid as interim prime minister. Mr Lapid as foreign minister said that Russia had committed war crimes in Ukraine and he supported the United Nations’ condemnation of the invasion.

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Russian president Vladimir Putin did not congratulate Mr Lapid when he became prime minister a month ago and the two leaders have not spoken since. Israeli officials also noted with concern recent reports that Iran was ready to supply Russia with drones.

There has been a sharp rise in Aliyah, Jewish immigration to Israel, from Russia since the start of the war, and Israel is worried that this will dry up if the agency’s offices are closed.

“The Jewish community in Russia is deeply connected with Israel. Its importance arises in every diplomatic discussion with the Russian leadership,” Mr Lapid said. “We will continue to act through diplomatic channels so that the Jewish Agency’s important activity will not cease.”

Adding to the tension in bilateral relations are the ongoing Israel air strikes to prevent Iranian entrenchment in Syria.

Recent attacks attributed to Israel on Damascus International Airport and Tartus port, where Russia has a naval base, were considered by Moscow, which usually turns a blind eye to Israeli actions, as crossing a red line. But the attacks continue and a strike early on Friday morning on the outskirts of Damascus prompted Syria to demand the UN condemn “Israel’s criminal action”.

Diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said Russian Jews would not be held hostage to the war in Ukraine.

“The attempt to punish the Jewish Agency for Israel’s position on the war is pathetic and insulting,” he said.

Natan Sharansky, the former head of the Jewish Agency, who was imprisoned by the Soviet authorities for nearly a decade for his Aliyah activism, urged Jews in Russia to immigrate to Israel as soon as possible.

During the first six months of this year, 16,598 Russian Jews have arrived in Israel, more than double the number who came in all of last year, and 40 per cent more than the number of Ukrainian Jews who arrived in the same period.