By World Israel News Staff

Almost one out of every three Russian nationals who immigrated to Israel within recent months left the country after just one month with an Israeli passport and a cash bonus aimed at easing the acclimation process for new immigrants.

According to a Jerusalem Post report, some 1,800 out of 5,600 Russian nationals — almost one-third — who had applied for Israeli citizenship and arrived in the country on flights subsidized by the Israeli government were no longer present in the Jewish state four weeks after arriving.

Israel provided these special benefits for Russian nationals immigrating to Israel, as American and European sanctions on the country threatened to cause serious financial issues and restrictions on freedom of movement.

Typically, new immigrants have a set waiting period before they can obtain an Israeli passport, medical care and other benefits — but due to an Aliyah Ministry decision to classify Russians as refugees in need of immediate assistance, these perks were immediately granted to them.

“The information we received was that Russian Jews feel that the Iron Curtain is expected to come down again, so we decided to allow them these special benefits,” a senior Aliyah Ministry official told the Post.

“But when a third of those immigrants take advantage of the kindness of the State of Israel and then leave in order to continue living in Russia, this is a serious problem.”

The reason for such a large number of them returning to Russia could be due to expectations that sanctions will be eased in the near future, and some may have never intended to settle in Israel permanently.

An Israeli passport grants visa-free access to all countries in Europe, including European Union and Schengen member nations — an appealing loophole for Russian Jews or those with Jewish heritage looking to bypass travel bans on Russian nationals.

The Israeli taxpayer is footing the bill for the free flights, envelopes full of cash and even hotel accommodations that the Russian immigrants receive upon arrival.

The post Cash and a passport, then back to Russia? Stats reveal surprising immigration trend appeared first on The Jewish Voice.

By Josh Christenson (Free Beacon) Liberal comedian Chelsea Handler on Thursday endorsed for Congress an anti-Israel activist who served as a lawyer for Palestinian terrorists.

“Let’s get some new politicians elected,” Handler tweeted, sharing a link to a Huwaida Arraf campaign video. Arraf, who launched her campaign in November, has defended terrorists who in 2010 imported weapons and military equipment for Hamas to the Gaza Strip. Arraf was also on the legal team that fought for citizenship rights for Rasmea Odeh, who orchestrated a 1969 Jerusalem bombing that killed two Jewish college students.

Handler, whose Netflix show Chelsea was canned after two seasons, is among a group of celebrities who saw a brief rise in popularity during the Trump administration. She promised to leave the United States if Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton lost in 2016 but instead turned her enthusiasm to liberal political commentary and candidate boosting. She backed Wisconsin Democrat Randy Bryce, then-House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R.) opponent, in the 2018 midterms.

But Handler’s enthusiasm has often outpaced her knowledge. She has casually suggested abolishing the First Amendment to protect people from racist humor—despite having dabbled in racist humor herself. When interviewing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) for her show, she struggled to understand the nuances of electoral politics.

Arraf is challenging incumbent Rep. Lisa McClain (R., Mich.), who told the Washington Free Beacon in 2021 the last thing the country needs is another “Squad” member.

“Huwaida Arraf is a Bernie Sanders-style socialist who does not share the views of Michigan’s 10th Congressional District,” McClain said. “The last thing we need in Congress is another member of the Squad, and that’s exactly who she would align with if elected.”

The post Chelsea Handler Endorses Terrorist Lawyer for Congress appeared first on The Jewish Voice.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

A Palestinian flag has been hanging on the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, for at least 10 days, spurring questions about Israel’s sovereignty over the compound.

In 2000, a Palestinian flag was hoisted on the Temple Mount for a total of three days — the longest ever, until now — and was taken down by the Israeli authorities, just before the outbreak of the Second Intifada.

So, why hasn’t the Israeli government taken steps to remove the flag, considering that the Temple Mount is the holiest Jewish site and is under Israeli jurisdiction and located in Israel’s capital city?

Tom Nisani, CEO of the Temple Mount advocacy organization, said the lack of response stems from a policy of appeasement to terror, originating in the upper echelons of the Israeli government.

“Never before has the PLO flag waved over the Dome of the Rock for 10 days without a police response, [and this is] apparently due to orders from high up in the political establishment,” Nisani told World Israel News.

“When entering the Old City, the first eye-catching sight is the PLO flag hoisted above the Temple Mount. These are disturbing [optics] and signal that Israel has given up Jerusalem, and [the flag’s placement] could become permanent.”

Nisani added that the flag serves as a highly-visible “symbol of victory” for terrorists over Israel, as incitement against Jews and Israelis continues “at a frenzied pace.”

Maor Tzemach, CEO of the Zionist NGO Your Jerusalem, linked the flag’s presence to an overall policy of Israeli appeasement to Islamist terror on the Temple Mount.

Unfortunately, the Israeli government is not taking appropriate steps towards mitigating presence of terror supporters and widespread incitement in the compound, he told WIN.

Israel authorities seem to believe that a strong or forceful response will stoke the flames, but in reality, the lack of response is emboldening terrorists.

But the lack of response from Israel appears to embolden the terrorists, Tzemach observed.

“Even on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we heard chants like ‘Khybar, Khybar ya yahud’ [a reference to a mass slaughter of Jews in ancient Saudia Arabia], and calls for [Gaza-based Hamas terrorist] Mohammed Deif to fire rockets at Tel Aviv,” he said.

Allowing the display of the Palestinian flag, along with the flags of Hamas and other terror groups, and widespread calls to murder Jews to occur without an Israeli response “hurts our sovereignty, calls into question Israel’s authority on the Temple Mount, and that’s unacceptable.”

Speaking to Israel National News on Sunday, Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel said that while he was concerned about the presence of the flag on the Temple Mount, removing it wasn’t his primary focus.

“We fight terror, not flags,” he said. “There are much more serious occurrences of lack of governance and [loss of ] sovereignty in the Negev, the Galilee, and [on] the Temple Mount that must be addressed.”

The post 10 days and counting: Palestinian flag on Temple Mount still flying appeared first on The Jewish Voice.