Israel’s Immigrant Parties: An Inefficient Russia Lobby

Summary:

Since 2009 the influence of immigrant party Israel Beiteinu on foreign and security policy in Israel has grown. The party won 15 seats in the 2009 parliamentary elections and its leader, Avigdor Lieberman, became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Politicians with Russian origins have a certain impact on the security and foreign policy agenda but their influence is limited and their immigrant origin constitutes an obstacle. They are more successful in pressing forward domestic policies related to their constituency than pushing Russia as a priority for Israeli diplomacy. The Kremlin partially supports the initiatives of Israeli immigrant politicians, but Moscow realizes the limits of their influence. The foreign policy of Israel is only marginally shaped by Lieberman and immigrant politicians and remains highly dependent on the agenda advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the influence of the US.

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