RUSSIA Law of Return, Israel considers extending it to the fourth generation of Russian Jews

A measure to prevent Putin’s call to arms in the war against Ukraine. The proposal has been formulated by Avigodor Lieberman as a “temporary measure” and must be studied by the government. But some MPs are against it, accusing the finance minister of wanting to “destroy” Jewish identity.

Jerusalem () – The Israeli government is evaluating the possibility of expanding the Law of Return to include the fourth generation of descendants of Russian Jews who are trying to flee en masse from Vladimir Putin’s call to arms in the war against Ukraine. Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman confirmed that the proposal is being studied by the government, which could adopt it as a “temporary measure.”

As the Times of Israel reports, Lieberman first raised the issue during the weekly executive meeting on October 2, stating that this “fourth generation” may somehow have a right to citizenship. Prime Minister Yair Lapid bought time by responding that the issue should be studied within the framework of an internal debate between ministries on its advisability.

The objective, Lieberman explained in a message on social networks, is not the “automatic extension” of citizenship, but to treat them [a los judíos rusos] in accordance with “our historical obligation” to “humanitarian and Jewish values”. “The Jewish people -he adds- did not lack tragedies and miseries in the Second World War, a historical moment in which no country welcomed Jewish refugees. This is the fourth generation, descendants of Jews who have a clear link to Judaism and direct kinship with families living in Israel.”

The law of return was enacted by the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) on July 5, 1950, along with the citizenship law. It repealed the rules established by the “White Paper” and granted citizenship to all those people of Jewish descent in the world who want to move to Israel for the purpose of living there. Permanence is also linked, if you are of legal age, to completion of military service of three years for men and two for women.

However, the Finance Minister’s proposal has been opposed by part of the Knesset. Among them is the Zionist-inspired parliamentarian Simcha Rothman, according to whom “the Law of Return was enacted so that Israel would be a Jewish state”, while Lieberman “is working to destroy this Jewish identity”.

To qualify for the benefits of the law you must have at least one Jewish grandparent. According to an Israeli source interviewed by the Jerusalem Post, there are at least 55,000 Russian Jews who are eligible to immigrate to Israel and are waiting for the green light to leave Russia. Of these, some 40,000 already have an immigration visa and another 15,000 have started the process. Then we must add 70,000 Russian Jews who meet the requirements to emigrate according to the Law of Return and currently live in extremely difficult conditions in the states that “surround Russia”, but who at this time “are not in contact with the Israeli authorities. In recent months the issue had also been raised in relation to Ukrainian fugitives and the possible repercussions on the “Jewish identity” of the State of Israel.