Israel’s finance minister is pushing the government to expand the country’s Right of Return, in order to enable more Russians with Jewish ancestry to gain Israeli citizenship.
The new initiative comes following Russia’s announcement on September 21st of a partial mobilization, spawning fears Moscow could ban service-age men from leaving the country.
According to a report by Kan Reshet Bet Monday morning, the government has called a hearing scheduled for Monday at the behest of Finance Minister Avidgor Liberman to discuss the possibility of expanding the Law of Return to include non-Jews who have least one Jewish great-grandparent.
Under the current law, Jews and children of Jews can immigrate to Israel and claim citizenship, along with their spouses; with a provision allowing grandchildren of Jews to also gain citizenship.
Liberman, according to Monday’s report, has proposed that the Right of Return be extended to a fourth generation, “even if the change is temporary”.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded to Liberman’s demand by saying that it would be necessary to hold a hearing on the matter before any attempt is made to change the law.