Moscow court to hear liquidation case of Israeli immigration agency

By Dimitri Chirciu

MOSCOW (AA) – A local court in Moscow on Thursday accepted a petition to liquidate the Russian branch of a Jewish immigration agency, and set the hearing date for next month.

The Basmanny district court said it has completed its review of the petition filed by the country’s Justice Ministry on July 15 for the liquidation of the Jewish Agency for Israel, which promotes immigration to the Jewish state.

The date for the hearing has been set for Aug. 19, it added.

A crisis has emerged since the Russian ministry moved to ban the Jewish immigration agency in the country.

An Israeli delegation of legal advisers and senior officials arrived in Moscow to assist the defense attorneys shortly before the court set the hearing date.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that the delegation will hold meetings with relevant Russian officials.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk