The diplomatic row between Jerusalem and Moscow continued on Tuesday as 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.
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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.
In an interview on Russian TV, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Israel's leadership had taken a biased, anti-Russian stance on the conflict, and dismissed suggestions that her department had a hand in proceedings against the Jewish Agency.
"It's a question for the Ministry of Justice, that's the information I have. It definitely is a legal matter," Zakharova said when asked about the fate of the organization, which helps Jews make aliyah, or immigrate, to Israel.
The Russian justice ministry earlier requested the liquidation of the Russian branch of the Jewish Agency. Russian authorities have alleged breaches of privacy laws by the organization, and are expected to present more details before a Russian court on Thursday.
"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," Zakharova said.
Zakharova went on to criticize Israel for taking what she called an "unhelpful" stance towards Moscow in the last few months in relation to the Ukraine conflict and that Israel's support of Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion "raises questions."
"The statements coming out of Israel are biased and completely unconstructive," Zakharova said. "When anti-Russian assessments are given by the Israeli leadership at different levels, and when the policy is pro-Ukrainian and in favor of the regime in Kyiv – it raises questions."
Earlier Tuesday, Israel issued a severe travel warning to Ukraine in the wake of intensified fighting there, primarily in the country's south. Israeli citizens in Ukraine were asked to leave the country immediately.
President Isaac Herzog, with whom Prime Minister Yair Lapid met on Monday to discuss ways to resolve the crisis with Russia, said earlier Tuesday: "The Jewish Agency's activities in Russia are an issue that is really close to my heart."
Herzog served as the head of the Jewish Agency from 2018 to 2021.
"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."
Lapid, who as foreign minister in March condemned Russian actions in Ukraine, said in a statement on Sunday that a closing of the Jewish Agency branch would be "grave, with ramifications for [bilateral] relations."
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But on Tuesday, Lapid's office said that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had exchanged "written greetings" when Lapid first entered office several weeks ago.
Lapid has put a team of Israeli jurists on standby to fly out to resolve the Agency issue, once Moscow agrees to admit them. As of Tuesday morning, they had not departed. Immigration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata voiced hope they would not prove crucial.
"We will resolve this matter through the diplomatic channel, even if they [the delegates] do not go," she said.
There are 600,000 Russians eligible to immigrate to Israel, she said, adding that there had been a rise in applications since the Russian justice ministry's announcement about the Jewish Agency, which is based in Jerusalem and is the world's largest Jewish non-profit organization.
