U.S. Warns Israel Not to Help Russian Oligarchs Evade Sanctions

YERUSHALAYIM
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (Right) confides with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid during a cabinet meeting on Sunday. (Yoav Ari Dudkevitch/POOL)

The U.S. has warned Israel not to give assistance to Russian oligarchs seeking to avoid financial sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, Ynet reported on Monday.

A senior official was quoted as saying that the Bank of Israel is doing everything it can to make sure that the businessmen in question do not use Israeli banks to hide their money.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in turn told government ministers not to provide assistance to Jewish-Russian billionaires fearful of sanctions, according to Axios.

“You have to be very careful because those guys have connections and they can call you on the phone and ask you for things,” Axios quotes Lapid as saying, citing three people present at a cabinet meeting.

“Don’t commit to anything because it could cause diplomatic damage. Say you can’t help them and give them the number of the foreign ministry,” he said.

Lapid also said on Monday that the government was in the process of setting up an inter-ministerial committee to examine the implications of the sanctions on Russia for Israel.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials were exhorted by both coalition and opposition leaders to avoid making public comments about the Ukraine crisis that could cause diplomatic blowback.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett asked members of his cabinet to “keep a low profile” on the war, Channel 12 reports.

“Israel’s interest is to be quiet,” Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, the No. 2 in Bennett’s Yamina party, according to the channel.

Likewise, opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu told Monday’s Likud faction meeting:

“In days like these, it’s advisable to take positions with the utmost caution. Unfortunately, in the last few days we’ve heard too many unnecessary expressions and too many false predictions.”

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