|
|
 |
Putin Ally to Head European Jewish Congress
Russian tycoon Moshe Kantor was elected president of the European Jewish Congress on Tuesday, despite criticism for his close ties to the Kremlin.
Mr. Kantor defeated the incumbent president Pierre Besnainou by 55 votes 30 at the Congress’s session in Brussels on Tuesday.
“Unlike Mr. Besnainou who has focused on political issues and been active in European Jews’ repatriation, Mr. Kantor is going to use a comprehensive approach,” the Russian Jewish Congress, where Moshe Kantor serves as chairman, reported. Mr. Kantor is going to “pull together efforts of the European communities to prevent assimilation, counter anti-Semitism and Xenophobia and hold holocaust memory events”, the Russian Congress said.
Moshe Kantor was one of the organizers of an international anti-proliferation conference in Luxembourg in May, the first one over the past ten years.
Israel’s Ha’aretz newspaper has recently called Mr. Kantor “Putin’s ally.” The Russian businessman does not deny the fact, saying his links to the Kremlin are good for the Jews and might be helpful in tackling the Iranian issue.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
