Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea football club, has become an Israeli citizen just a month after the UK delayed renewal of his British visa amid diplomatic tension between London and Moscow. Mr Abramovich, who is Jewish, exercised his right under Israel’s Law of Return, which states that Jews from anywhere in the world can become Israeli citizens. The Russian oligarch, who is worth an estimated £8.6 billion, instantly became Israel’s wealthiest person after receiving his citizenship on Monday. The 51-year-old had been travelling in and out of the UK for years on a Tier-1 investor visa, designed for wealthy foreigners who invest at least £2 million in Britain. He applied to renew the visa in April but did not immediately receive approval from the Home Office. It is not clear if the UK decided to reject his application permanently but a source familiar with the matter told the Daily Telegraph that the renewal process was taking an unusually long time. Mr Abramovich is believed to have returned to Russia after his visa expired and he did not attend Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup on May 20. The UK government has suggested it would take a harder line on Russian oligarchs in Britain following the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. The government has accused Russia of being behind the attack. It is not clear if there is a direct link between the UK’s moves on Russian oligarchs and Mr Abramovich’s visa. Mr Abramovich’s private G650 jet touched down in Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on Monday and he was immediately granted Israeli citizenship. A spokesman for the Israeli interior ministry said he applied at the Israeli embassy in Moscow and was found eligible for citizenship after proving his Jewish heritage. “He filed a request to receive an immigration permit, his documents were checked according to the Law of Return, and he was indeed found eligible,” the spokesman told Israel’s Channel 10 news. (The Telegraph) This story gets sleazier by the day. Unbelievable!
A Jewish man, entitled under the Israeli Law of Return to become an Israeli citizen becomes an Israeli citizen. God, the sleaze is sickening.
Happens all the time, I know at least 3 people who have done it (they all still live most of the time in Cheetham hill but have homes in Israel).
Yeah, because he grew up in Israel, and has Israeli relatives, and hasn't done it in a cynical attempt to continue to launder his Russian wealth.
Most probably mate but that is what your lot are like It is the right (wrongly or not) that every Jew can claim Israel as home if they wish providing they can prove ancestry, many take this up as a spiritual/roots sort of thing and many for the benefits of dual nationality.
The guy was one of a handful of guys who made billions from the privatisation of russian state assets. He didn't suddenly become sleazy just to get Israeli citizenship. The sleaze card was played many years ago. He played a long held card from his back pocket because it suited his current situation. That's not sleazy. That's just being pragmatic.
That chant harks back to when Spurs supporters expressed their support for the Jewish people who were being persecuted by other Brits. It doesn't mean that the club is Jewish.
He's probably looking to talk **** for an hour or so, he usually does around this time, don't encourage him
Ahh right, because we are well known for persecuting Jews. Strange no other clubs took up the cudgel though eh? Does Daniel know this, does Alan know?
Thanks, mate. It's heartening to know that you won't wum me on this. So many others will probably take this thread as an opportunity to wum. Not you. Not me. Let's get the message out there, yeah?
