Minister Avigdor Lieberman proposes granting Israeli citizenship and passports to Russians who can make considerable contributions to Israel.

He suggests setting special conditions to enable certain people - mainly Russian and other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) tycoons - to receive Israeli citizenship. These individuals are currently ineligible for Israeli citizenship according to the law.

Lieberman has already discussed the move with Interior Minister Roni Bar-On and Naomi Ben Ami, chairman of Nativ - a liaison unit in the Prime Minister's Office that maintained contact with Jews in the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War and also encouraged aliyah.

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A further debate with Interior and Defense Ministry officials is expected to be held soon. Lieberman dismissed the suggestion that the initiative was intended to advance his own political interests and establish power bases in the CIS. The initiative is meant to reduce the rupture between Israel and the Jewish community in the CIS, many of whose prominent figures feel unwanted or even persecuted in Israel, he says.

Lieberman recommended that Nativ make a list of key figures in the CIS "who could help Israel in security, economy, culture, science and sports" or alternatively contribute to increasing pro-Israel influence in the Jewish communities.

In a letter to Bar-On, Lieberman suggests forming criteria for "issuing an Israeli passport to a person whose center of life is not in Israel, at the interior minister's discretion." Nativ will recommend extending the passports of those eligible to immigrate to Israel by the Law of Return, "whose center of life is in their country of origin, but who wish to keep a valid Israeli citizenship and passport," he writes.

"Clearly Jewish business people in Russia's economic leadership cannot remain in Israel for a continuous period of time, which is required for obtaining an Israeli passport," he writes. He stresses that his suggestion is not meant only for Russian tycoons.

Lieberman told Haaretz that Israel today rejects Russian business people who are welcome in the whole world, including in the cour t of the Queen of England. His initiative was intended to correct this situation, he said.