Israeli, Russian presidents discuss Jewish immigration agency crisis

ANKARA

Israel's President Isaac Herzog and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the Jewish Agency crisis that emerged with Moscow's move to ban the Russian branch of the immigration agency, according to a statement by the Israeli presidency.

The leaders discussed bilateral relations, including "the challenges of the Jewish People in the Diaspora," the statement noted, adding: "In this context, President Herzog elaborated on the issue of the activities of the Jewish Agency in Russia."

Describing the phone call as "frank and honest," it also said leaders "emphasized the important areas of cooperation between Israel and Russia and agreed to remain in contact."

The phone call took place at the request of Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, the statement added.

It added that the Russian president "underscored his personal commitment to the fight against antisemitism."

On July 28, a local court in Moscow accepted a petition to liquidate the Russian branch of a Jewish immigration agency, and set the hearing date for Aug. 19. An Israeli delegation of legal advisers and senior officials had been sent to Moscow to assist the defense attorneys shortly before the court set the hearing date.