Israel's prime minister on Thursday said he would send a delegation to Moscow in hopes of halting a Russian order to shutter the operations of a major nonprofit organisation that promotes Jewish immigration to Israel.
Yair Lapid's decision came after a spokeswoman for a Moscow District Court was quoted as saying that Russia's Justice Ministry aims to “shut down” the Russian branch of the Jewish Agency. A court hearing in the case is scheduled for July 28.
The Jewish Agency is a nonprofit that works closely with the Israeli government to bring Jewish immigrants from around the world to Israel. Under the country's law of return, anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent is automatically eligible for Israeli citizenship.
The Jewish Agency has been active in Russia since 1989, according to the Interfax report. Well over 1 million immigrants have come to Israel from the former Soviet Union, and an estimated 150,000 Jews still live in Russia.
According to the agency, immigration has picked up since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, with 17,000 Russians taking Israeli citizenship and as many as 40,000 others coming to Israel and expected to apply. In comparison, some 7,700 Russian Jews immigrated to Israel last year. Lapid's office said the delegation heading to Russia would include representatives from his office, the Foreign Ministry and other government ministries.
“The Jewish community in Russia is deeply connected with Israel. Its importance arises in every diplomatic discussion with the Russian leadership,” Lapid said. “We will continue to act through diplomatic channels so that the Jewish Agency's imp