Israel vows country won’t become safe haven for sanctioned Russian oligarchs

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said today in Bratislava that Russia won’t be able to circumvent Western sanctions through Israel. Speaking at a joint press conference with his Slovakian counterpart Ivan Korcok, Lapid said, “Israel will not be a route to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other Western countries. The Foreign Affairs Ministry is coordinating the issue together with partners including the Bank of Israel, the Finance Ministry, the Economy Ministry, the Airports Authority, the Energy Ministry and others.”

Israel has so far refused to join Western sanctions against Russia, primarily out of unwillingness to directly confront Moscow, with whom it maintains dialogue and cooperation channels over Syria. There is also Jewish Russian oligarchs to consider. Several of them hold Israeli in addition to Russian citizenship and hold property in the country.

Some experts claim that Israel does not have the legal tools to impose such sanctions. Unlike other Western countries, Israel did not make changes to its legislation after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 to enable sanctions. Still, Israel has changed its monetary policies in accordance with OECD standards, making it more difficult for oligarchs to transfer their banking activities to Israel. It is unclear yet if Israel intends to tighten its control over such accounts.

Jerusalem has reportedly decided to discretely monitor the entry of private jets and yachts belonging to oligarchs so Israel won’t become a haven from Western sanctions. Lapid warned his fellow ministers Feb. 28 not to provide assistance to Jewish Russian billionaires who have been hit by international sanctions. He was quoted as saying, “You have to be very careful because those guys have connections and they can call you on the phone and ask you for things.”

In Bratislava, Lapid also addressed Israeli efforts for mediation between Ukraine and Russia, stating, “Israel will do everything it can to assist mediation efforts to stop the shooting and restore peace. We are working together with our greatest ally, the United States, and our European friends to prevent the continuation of this tragedy.” On March 13, the office of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reported he had spoken again on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about efforts to stop the fighting.

Lapid is currently in Slovakia after visiting Romania yesterday, holding meetings on enhancing Israeli humanitarian efforts for Ukraine. In Bratislava, Lapid noted, “Israel and Slovakia are cooperating on getting humanitarian aid into Ukrainian territory. So far, Israel has sent over 100 tons of medical equipment, generators and other goods into Ukraine, and we thank the government of Slovakia for its cooperation.” Yesterday in Romania, Lapid visited the Siret border crossing on the Romanian-Ukrainian border, where he stated, “We won't close our gates and our hearts to people who've lost their whole world. We have a moral obligation to be part of the international effort to help refugees from Ukraine find a warm home and a bed to sleep in.”

Before traveling to Siret, lapid met in Bucharest with the Romanian leadership. Speaking at a joint press conference with his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu, Lapid said, “Like Romania, Israel condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It’s without justification, and we call on Russia to stop its firing and attacks and to resolve this conflict around the negotiating table. Israel will do all it can to help reach a peaceful solution. We are working in complete coordination with our ally, the United States, and with our European partners in order to try and end this violent tragedy as quickly as possible.”

Lapid condemned Russian aggression toward Ukraine on Feb. 24. It was the first and only time that the Israeli leadership did so publicly. Bennett has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy, meeting in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and speaking further on the phone with Putin, Scholz, Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron.