President Isaac Herzog has joined efforts to resolve the crisis with Russia, which threatens to shut down the offices of the Jewish Agency – a non-profit that promotes aliyah to Israel – in the country, Israel Hayom has learned.
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The President's Office has confirmed that Herzog is pursuing various ways to end the disagreement, but has not yet conversed with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
On Tuesday, Herzog, who used to chair the agency, said, "Naturally, the Jewish Agency's activities in Russia are an issue that is really close to my heart … I am working in full cooperation with Prime Minister Lapid. We work for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people. We cooperate, and where I can help, I will."
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was up to the country's Justice Ministry to decide the fate of the Russian branch of the Jewish Agency.
In comments to Russian TV, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Israel's leadership had taken a biased, anti-Russian stance over Ukraine.
"Unfortunately, in recent months we have heard, at the level of statements, completely unconstructive and, most importantly, biased rhetoric from Tel Aviv. It has been completely incomprehensible and strange to us," she said.
Relations between the two countries have become strained in recent months after Israel condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and summoned the Russian ambassador over comments made by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Adolf Hitler.
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