Russia orders Jewish Agency to stop all operations in country – exclusive

Author: Published: July 5, 2022

Dramatic order given to Jewish Agency by government officials in Moscow. Israeli government considering next steps

By ZVIKA KLEIN
Published: JULY 5, 2022 10:51
Updated: JULY 5, 2022 10:54
Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall in the Kremlin in Moscow on April 26, 2022. (photo credit: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall in the Kremlin in Moscow on April 26, 2022.
(photo credit: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP via Getty Images)

The Russian government has ordered the Jewish Agency to cease all operations inside the country, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The order was given in a letter received from the Russian government earlier this week. Officials in the Jewish Agency confirmed that the letter was received but would not comment on the response that is currently under consideration in the organization’s offices in Jerusalem in consultation with the Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister’s Office.

“As part of the work of the Jewish Agency’s delegation in Russia, we are occasionally required to make certain adjustments, as required by authorities,” The Jewish Agency said in response to a query from The Post. “The contacts with the authorities take place continuously, with the aim of continuing our activities in accordance with the rules set by the competent bodies. Even nowadays, such a dialogue takes place.”

UKRAINIAN JEWS fleeing from the Russian invasion wait to receive their entry papers to Israel, at an emergency shelter in Moldova last week (credit: YOSSI ZLIGER)UKRAINIAN JEWS fleeing from the Russian invasion wait to receive their entry papers to Israel, at an emergency shelter in Moldova last week (credit: YOSSI ZLIGER)

Israeli-Russian tension

The order comes amid growing tension between Israel and Russia over Jerusalem’s stance regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine and its policy of standing with Kyiv and its embattled leader Volodymyr Zelensky. On Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry called strikes on Syria that have been blamed on Israel unacceptable, and demanded an unconditional cessation of the attacks.

An order forcing the Jewish Agency to stop work in Russia is dramatic and could directly undermine the ability of Russian Jews to make aliyah and immigrate to Israel. Thousands of Russian Jews have finished their aliyah paperwork and have been waiting for flights to become available to Israel – yet the sanctions on Russia have caused most international airlines to stop flying to the country and therefore, Israeli officials explained, that future olim are “stuck” in Russia.

Jewish trouble in Russia

Senior sources in Russia’s Jewish community have told the Post that “people from the Jewish community have been feeling the Iron Curtain setting on them and they fear they won’t be able to escape the country.” According to one source, “a number of Jews have said that the Russian authorities are trying to arrest them and that they fear for their lives.”

One of the main goals of the Jewish Agency is to promote and facilitate aliyah from Jewish communities around the world. If the Jewish Agency will not be able to be active in Russia, this will be the first time in the past 30 years that Aliyah efforts are banned in the country.

Russia demands Israel unconditionally cease its ‘unacceptable’ Syria airstrikes

Author: Published: July 5, 2022

For second time in weeks, Moscow slams Israel for ‘violating Syrian sovereignty,’ says 2 civilians were injured in strike and severe damage caused to civilian infrastructure

By TOI STAFF and AGENCIES5 July 2022, 12:40 am   

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Damage is seen to a structure following an airstrike attributed to Israel in al-Hamidiyah, Syria, July 2, 2022. (Social media)

Damage is seen to a structure following an airstrike attributed to Israel in al-Hamidiyah, Syria, July 2, 2022. (Social media)

Moscow on Monday condemned an alleged Israeli airstrike near a Russian stronghold in Syria over the weekend, calling Israel’s years-long air campaign in Syria “categorically unacceptable” and demanding it cease.

“We strongly condemn such irresponsible actions that violate the sovereignty of Syria and the basic norms of international law, and we demand their unconditional cessation,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

The relatively rare daytime strike on Saturday targeted an area near the Syrian town of al-Hamidiyah, south of Tartus, which is home to Russia’s main naval base in the region. Two civilians were injured and serious damage was caused to civilian infrastructure, Moscow said.

Syria has fingered Israel as responsible as well, though the IDF has yet to respond, in line with its policy of generally maintaining silence regarding specific actions in Syria.

Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

Israel has said in the past that it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah group that has fighters deployed in Syria, as well as arms shipments believed to be bound for various proxies in the region.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition group of unclear funding, said Saturday’s strike targeted weapons en route to the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon. The claim was not confirmed by any other organizations.

Quoting a military source, Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said the missiles were launched Saturday by Israeli fighter jets over the Mediterranean Sea, west of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, at the Syrian town of al-Hamidiyah, south of Tartus.

While most alleged Israeli attacks in Syria typically take place under the cover of darkness, Saturday’s alleged strike was conducted at around 6:30 a.m., during daylight hours.

According to SANA, “poultry farms” were targeted in the airstrike, and two civilians were hurt. Their conditions were not immediately clear. Damage was also caused to the site.

Syria often claims targets of Israeli strikes as being non-military.

Video footage broadcast by SANA showed rubble at what it said was the site of the targeted facility.

Israeli strikes have continued in Syrian airspace, which is largely controlled by Russia, even as ties with Moscow have deteriorated in recent months. Israel has found itself at odds with Russia as it has increasingly supported Ukraine while seeking to maintain freedom of movement in Syria’s skies.

The last strike in Syria attributed to Israel was on June 10, when the Damascus International Airport was targeted in a major attack and forced to be shuttered for two weeks, following accusations by Israel that Iran had been smuggling weaponry to the Lebanese Hezbollah terror group, via civilian flights to Syria.

Then too, Russia issued a harsh condemnation, demanding an end to such strikes that violate Syria’s sovereignty.

Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report.

Russia condemns alleged Israeli ‘air aggression’ on Syria

Author: Published: July 5, 2022

i24NEWS – Reuters

3 min read

Men assessing the damage caused to a building by a reported Israeli air strike near the western Syrian coastal city of Tartus, on July 2, 2022.
AFP / SANAMen assessing the damage caused to a building by a reported Israeli air strike near the western Syrian coastal city of Tartus, on July 2, 2022.

‘We strongly condemn such irresponsible actions that violate the sovereignty of Syria’

Russia’s foreign ministry on Monday called Israeli-blamed strikes on Syria unacceptable and demanded an unconditional cessation of the attacks.

On Saturday, Syria accused Israel of launching an “air aggression” from the Mediterranean, west of Lebanon’s second-largest city Tripoli, with several missiles targeting an area to the south of Tartus.

Israel’s military declined to comment on the strikes, which would be the first since Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid took office as the interim premier ahead of a November 1 election.

“We strongly condemn such irresponsible actions that violate the sovereignty of Syria and the basic norms of international law, and we demand their unconditional cessation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

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The Syrian Defense Ministry said two civilians were wounded in the strikes and that there was some material damage near the town of Al-Hamidiyah.

A facility that was struck is used by Lebanon’s Shiite militant group Hezbollah, a Syrian government ally, according to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

Al-Hamidiyah is located south of Tartus, a bastion of the Syrian government and home to a naval port used by Russia, whose armed forces back the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Since the civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its northern neighbor, targeting Syrian government troops as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters from Hezbollah.

This is not the first time Russia reprimanded Israel for airstrikes on Syria.

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