Moscow's Basmanny Court began considering a lawsuit filed by the Russian Justice Ministry on the liquidation of the Jewish Agency for Israel in Russia on Thursday.
The court hearing regarding the Jewish Agency in Russia was set for August 19 and the hearing ended on without any decisions made. Thursday’s session was considered to be a preliminary hearing and pre-trial verification. A source in the agency explained that it was a “very technical issue,” yet “our lawyer was able to speak and make our case.”
Shortly before the court session, the Israeli delegation of ministry legal advisors and senior officials from government ministries and the Jewish Agency arrived in Moscow. The purpose of this delegation was to assist the attorneys of the agency in Russia, even though they do not speak Russian and have no basic understanding of the Russian law system.
The Post has learned that members of the delegation, headed by Foreign Ministry Deputy Legal Adviser Tamar Kaplan, will meet with officials from Russia’s Justice ministry on Thursday. The delegation includes experts from the Foreign, Justice, and Immigration and Absorption Ministries, as well as from the Privacy Protection Authority.
One of the members of the delegation is the director general of the Jewish Agency Integration and Aliyah Unit Shay Felber.
Earlier on Thursday, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in an interview on KAN national broadcasting radio that he hopes that “we'll be able to settle this case soon." Lieberman, a native of Moldova added that “from the point of view of the Russians, and it may be a mistake... In their perception, The Jewish Agency is an American organization.” He explained that the Russians “treat the agency similar to the way that they try to challenge many foreign international organizations.”