Posted on 03/15/2022 9:13:54 AM PDT by Cronos
Several dozen Jewish tycoons from Russia are believed to have taken on Israeli citizenship or residency in recent years.
Israel is grappling with a situation that involves dealing with dozens of Jewish Russian oligarchs as Western nations step up sanctions on businesspeople with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A worried Israeli government has formed a high-level committee to see how the country can maintain its status as a haven for any Jew without running afoul of the biting sanctions targeting Putin’s inner circle.
Several dozen Jewish tycoons from Russia are believed to have taken on Israeli citizenship or residency in recent years. Many have good working relations with the Kremlin, and at least four – Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and Viktor Vekselberg – have been sanctioned internationally because of their purported connections to Putin.
...Israel, founded as a haven for Jews in the wake of the Holocaust, grants automatic citizenship to anyone of Jewish descent. Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union 30 years ago, an estimated one million Jews from Russia and other former Soviet republics have moved to Israel. In recent years, a growing number of tycoons from the former Soviet Union have joined them.
Some, such as former energy magnate Leonid Nevzlin, came after falling out with Putin. Others appeared to have done so as hedges against trouble abroad.
Abramovich, for instance, took Israeli citizenship in 2018 after his British visa was not renewed, apparently as part of British authorities’ efforts to crack down on Putin associates after a former Russian spy was poisoned in England. Although he appears to spend little time in the country, he has bought some choice real estate.
(Excerpt) Read more at aljazeera.com ...
And at the same time it has an open immigration policy to people of Jewish heritage - even if they are barely Jewish - like Abramovich.
I think Jerusalem's approach now is basically "let's keep very quiet and hope it resolves quickly and without us getting stuck in this"
It will be interesting to see how they decide to deal with Israel.
And at the same time it has an open immigration policy to people of Jewish heritage - even if they are barely Jewish - like Abramovich.
Politically tricky, but not morally tricky. The oligarchs are evil bastards who financially raped the Russian people.
Israel always touts its moral superiority. This is a golden opportunity to prove it by expelling the oligarchs, nationalizing their assets, and transferring the wealth to Ukraine refugees.
It'd be easy to change the necessary laws. Laws are changed every day.
I think Jerusalem's approach now is basically "let's keep very quiet and hope it resolves quickly and without us getting stuck in this"
Yes, that's probably the route they'll take.
If any of these people are Israeli and not Russian then leave them alone. Period.
For most people, morals positions are simple and absolute. For some people, morals can be haggled with until they are meaningless. Israeli oligarchs will keep their money.
Wasn't there a notorious organized crime figure in the US who was denied immigration to Israel despite his being Jewish?
Israel has just banned Ukrainian nationals, including refugees, from entry.
As for confiscation and redistribution, what happened to the rule of law in the West?
I doubt that applies to Jewish Ukrainians.
As for confiscation and redistribution, what happened to the rule of law in the West?
Civil asset forfeiture (of criminal gains) has long been the rule in the U.S.
It's sad that Israel allows itself to be a haven for criminal oligarchs and their ill-gotten gains.
“Relations between Lansky [Mafia kingpin] and Israel ended bitterly. After Lansky retired, the American authorities finally prosecuted him for tax evasion. Lansky issued a request to come to Israel in order to escape trial. But Yosef Burg, Israel’s Minister of the Interior, rejected Lansky’s application. Following his trial, Lansky was acquitted.”
Same thing happened to Hyman Roth, and well you know the rest.
I agree. But “used to be Russian” is not a reason to sanction anyone. So long as their ties to Russia and Putin are cut then leave them alone.
That’s the one I had read about—didn’t say his name because I wasn’t sure I would get it right.
For that matter, I wouldn't mind applying civil asset forfeiture to the Sackler family, and a whole host of other billionaire oligarchs in our own country.
Israel should arrest and deport then if they keep their Soviet relationship. Russia helps all the bad players in the region, including Iran and Assad.
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