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### Viewing cable 08MOSCOW1991, RUSSIA RETURNS TO THE HOLY LAND

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08MOSCOW1991 | 2008-07-11 12:27 | 2010-12-01 21:30 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Moscow
Appears in these articles: http://www.spiegel.de

`

    VZCZCXRO4887
    PP RUEHROV
    DE RUEHMO #1991/01 1931227
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 111227Z JUL 08
    FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8990
    INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
    RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 001991

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018
    TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON SOCI MARR IS RS
    SUBJECT: RUSSIA RETURNS TO THE HOLY LAND

    REF: A. MOSCOW 517
    ¶B. MOSCOW 1255

    Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Robert Patterson for reasons
    1.4 (b/d).

    ¶1. (C) Summary: The return to Russia of historic properties
    in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the end of the visa
    regime for travel to Israel, are the latest indicators of
    deepening Russia-Israel relations that depend significantly
    upon personal contacts as well as official channels. The
    properties, which will be used to establish a Russian
    consulate in Jerusalem and cultural and religious centers,
    will enhance Russia's soft power by increasing the Russian
    presence at a time when immigration to Israel has declined.
    Russia continues to benefit economically from these emigres,
    many of whom have established businesses in Israel that trade
    with Russia or have returned to their homeland to work in
    Russia's booming economy. The end of the visa regime is
    expected to significantly increase personal and economic
    contacts between these countries that currently enjoy deep
    cultural ties and the strongest political relationship in
    their often stormy history. Close ties to Israel do not
    appear, however, to have had much impact on Moscow's
    "pragmatic" positions on issues of concern to Tel Aviv, such
    as arms sales to Syria. End summary.

    Israel and Palestinians Return Russian Property
    --------------------------------------------- --

    ¶2. (U) Russia will receive several properties in Jerusalem
    and the West Bank from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and
    Israeli government, which are returning land that Russia
    originally acquired in the nineteenth century for the
    construction of Orthodox churches and facilities for Russian
    pilgrims to the Holy Land. During a June ceremony, the PA
    formally gave Russia ownership of three plots of land in the
    West Bank that will be the site of new Russian cultural and
    religious centers. Russian and Israeli officials announced
    in May that they were close to finalizing the terms for
    Russia to take ownership of a large compound in Jerusalem
    that includes St. Sergiev Church and an adjacent building
    originally used as a religious mission. As one of his last
    acts as President, Putin ordered that the GOR provide $4
    million to restore the church.

    Return to the Holy Land Symbolizes Russian Revival
    --------------------------------------------- -----

    ¶3. (C) xxxxx
    told us that the return of historically Russian property in
    the Holy Land was a symbol of Russia's post-Soviet cultural
    and religious renaissance. The properties, which had either
    been abandoned by the USSR or sold to Israel, would be used
    for facilities for religious pilgrims and tourists, as well
    as Russian language schools and clinics that would benefit
    local residents, including the large number of
    Russian-speaking Israelis. The MFA was also considering
    establishing a consulate at the compound in Jerusalem.
    xxxxx said that at present Russia had only its Embassy in
    Tel Aviv and a small Mission in Ramallah to handle relations
    with the PA. A presence in Jerusalem would help provide
    assistance to the many Russian citizens living in Israel as
    well as Russian tourists, whose numbers, presently estimated
    at 200,000 per year, were expected to grow significantly
    after the Russian-Israeli agreement to end visa requirements
    became operative in September.

    ¶4. (C) xxxxx explained that countries in the region
    recognized that providing land to Russia was a means to
    improve bilateral relations and attract Russian tourists. In
    addition to Israel and the PA, Jordan had already given
    Russia land on the banks of the Jordan River historically
    associated with Jesus' baptism (ref A). Lebanon also had
    property that once belonged to Russia, although discussion of
    its return had not begun.

    ¶5. (C)xxxxx that GOR
    interest in the Holy Land property was part of the Russian
    desire to "return" to the Middle East in various ways:
    politically by resurrecting ties with Arab states that had
    been allowed to atrophy during the 1990s, diplomatically by
    enhancing its role in the Middle East Peace Process, and
    culturally by re-establishing a physical presence for the
    Russian State and Church. For Russians, it was only fitting
    that the Orthodox Church should have a presence in Jerusalem
    along with the other ancient Christian dominations already
    present: the Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox. xxxxx
    said that the PA hoped that giving Russia land for cultural
    and religious facilities would attract Russian tourists to
    the West Bank.

    Moscow 00001991 002 of 003

    Working for the "Glory of Russia"
    ---------------------------------

    ¶6. (U) xxxxx explained that while the GOR would formally
    own the properties in Israel and the West Bank, the
    non-governmental Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS)
    would run the cultural and religious facilities. Although
    the GOR referred to the IOPS, founded in 1872, as "one of the
    oldest" Russian NGOs, the organization is not independent of
    the government. The head of Russia's Audit Chamber, Sergey
    Stepashin, is Chairman of the IOPS and MFA Middle East
    Department Deputy Director Oleg Ozerov heads its
    international section. The MFA and IOPS signed a memorandum
    of cooperation in June to facilitate GOR assistance to the
    organization's efforts to develop Russia's "humanitarian,
    scientific and cultural relations" with states in the Middle
    East. During a June address, FM Lavrov highlighted IOPS'
    role in "peoples' diplomacy" that supplemented official
    political contacts. He praised IOPS for helping Russia's
    spiritual revival and demonstrating that the country was an
    "influential and respected power." Lavrov closed, "In order
    to worthily return to the Holy Land, we must work...to the
    glory of Russia!"

    ¶7. (U) IOPS will depend financially upon Russian oligarchs,
    including Roman Abramovich and Israeli resident Arkadiy
    Gaidamak, both of whom reportedly agreed to the GOR request
    that they pay expenses related to acquiring the compound in
    Jerusalem.

    Russian Emigres: A "Bridge" Between Russia and Israel
    --------------------------------------------- ---------

    ¶8. (C) xxxxx said that the immigration of Russian Jews to
    Israel created a bond between the two countries that had a
    profound impact on Russia-Israel relations. This did not
    mean that those who fled Soviet anti-Semitism had pressured
    their new homeland for closer ties with the country that had
    repressed them. Instead they created in Israel a center of
    Russian culture and formed a "bridge" between the countries.
    xxxxx said that many
    Russian-speakers in Israel maintained strong ties to their
    homeland and some had even returned. The Israeli Embassy
    estimated that "tens of thousands" of Israel's
    Russian-speakers currently live and work in Moscow. xxxxx
    said that he personally knew many Russian-speaking Israelis
    who came to participate in Russia's economic boom. With
    their knowledge of Russian language and culture, plus
    university degrees and business experience gained in Israel,
    Europe or the U.S., they could easily find opportunities here.

    Emigres Create "Warm Feelings" for Israel
    -----------------------------------------

    ¶9. (C)xxxxx, differentiated the Jews who fled Soviet oppression
    and anti-Semitism in the 1970s and 1980s from those who left
    in the 1990s to avoid the chaos and uncertainty of
    post-Soviet Russia. The latter group did not leave as
    "ideological enemies" and maintained positive feelings for
    their homeland. Thanks to cable television and the Internet,
    they have been able to maintain contact with Russia. While
    this has been the experience of Russian immigrants who landed
    in different countries, xxxxx said it was especially
    acute in Israel where Russian-speakers were one-seventh of
    the population. This played well within Russia, where a
    Russian cultural foothold in the Middle East generated "warm
    feelings toward Israel." During Israel's 2006 war with
    Lebanon, Russian television showed Russian-speaking Israeli
    soldiers, which helped heighten Russian sympathy for Israel's
    situation. xxxxx cited public opinion polls that
    showed Russians were more inclined to have a favorable
    opinion of Israel than the U.S.

    ¶10. (C) xxxxx said that immigrants to Israel and
    elsewhere extended Russia's cultural reach, which the GOR
    recognized as a means to project at least the perception of
    influence. For example, the World Congress of Russian Jewry,
    an organization that represents Russian Jews in 35 countries
    and receives government support, met in May in Jerusalem
    where Russian Federation Council member Boris Shpigle said
    that Russian Jews must cultivate a special relationship with
    their homeland. xxxxx stressed that with the exception
    of Ukraine and the Baltic, where Russia had serious political
    concerns, the GOR saw its compatriots abroad not as a "fifth
    column" but as a bridge between their homeland and adopted
    countries. In Israel, a country of which some of Russia's
    biggest oligarchs were citizens, the GOR hoped this would
    provide opportunities for investment and give Russia access
    to Israeli technology. Israeli investment might also come to

    Moscow 00001991 003 of 003

    Russia, as it did in the case of Lev Levayev, whose
    development company is reportedly undertaking large-scale
    projects in Moscow and will expand its existing jewelry
    factory in Perm. xxxxx thought Russia-Israel trade,
    which is estimated at $2.3 billion in 2006, could be several
    times higher.

    Immigration to Israel is "Dead"
    -------------------------------

    ¶11. (C) While Russia continues to benefit from the presence
    of its existing emigres in Israel, Russian immigration to
    Israel is "all but dead" according to Leonard Terlitskiy, the
    Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society's representative in the CIS.
    Terlitskiy, who was among the first Jews to leave the USSR
    during the Brezhnev era, told us that "anyone who wanted to
    leave has already left." The Russian economy offered enough
    opportunities and anti-Semitism is not the problem it once
    was, allowing Jews to remain where they face less chance of
    becoming a victim of terrorism than they would in Israel.
    Russian daily Vremya Novestey reported that in 2007, only
    6,700 people immigrated from the CIS to Israel, compared to
    34,000 in 2001. Meanwhile, 38,000 Israeli nationals were
    known to have returned recently to live in Russia and the CIS.

    ¶12. (C) xxxxx thought that the prospect of visa-free travel
    to Israel would allow Russian Jews to visit Israel and
    develop an affinity for the country and their compatriots
    there without the need to emigrate. Members of Moscow's
    Jewish community recently told Vremya Novestey that they saw
    no need to emigrate and could always visit Israel on a
    holiday.

    Russia Maintains "Pragmatic" Policies
    -------------------------------------

    ¶13. (C) Observers noted that despite the increasing cultural
    proximity of Russia and Israel, the GOR maintained its
    "pragmatic" stance on weapons sales to Syria and contacts
    with Hamas, despite Israeli opposition. This stemmed from
    Moscow's ability to compartmentalize aspects of a foreign
    policy that fostered relations with Israel and Syria
    simultaneously. xxxxx joked that perhaps Israel had evened
    the score through military sales to Georgia, including
    unmanned aerial drones, the shooting down of which recently
    contributed to increasing tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi
    (ref B). xxxxx and Israeli Emboffs told us separately that
    military sales to Georgia were not an irritant in
    Russia-Israel relations, although the GOR had asked Israel
    not to sell offensive weapons systems to Tbilisi.
    Beyrle

`