Yad Vashem ‘suspends partnership’ with Abramovich, Imperial War Museum ‘consulting’
Israel’s memorial centre has “suspended its strategic partnership” with billionaire donor Roman Abramovich, after the UK placed sanctions on the Russian oligarch.
Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre has “suspended its strategic partnership” with billionaire donor Roman Abramovich, after the United Kingdom placed sanctions on the Chelsea Football Club owner.
In a short statement the centre confirmed on Thursday: “In light of recent developments, Yad Vashem has decided to suspend its strategic partnership with Mr Roman Abramovich.”
The partnership, announced last month, had seen Abramovich make a donation believed to be in the region of £10m over the next five years.
Meanwhile, in London, the Imperial War Museum, who have themselves been in receipt of donations from Abramovich, said they were “consulting” with the Department of Culture Media and Sport to “ensure we are compliant with all government regulations.”
He had made donations to the museum since 2018 – including the new Holocaust Gallery.
Only last month Israel’s official Holocaust memorial confirmed Abramovich, who hold Israeli citizenship, would be donating tens of millions of pounds to the institution.
It said the money was slated for strengthening the institution’s research work, “at a time in which phenomena of distortion and denial of the Holocaust and political use of the Holocaust are worryingly on the rise throughout the world.”
In early February, Yad Vashem had been among those institutions who sent a letter asking U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides to refrain from sanctioning Abramovich for “his contribution to the Jewish people.”
But on Thursday Boris Johnson confirmed the Chelsea FC owner’s name had now been added to a new sanctions list along with six other Russian oligarchs.
The PM said: “There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine.”
It was also confirmed that the government had halted Abramovich’s plan to sell the Premier League side.
The asset freeze and sanctions on him bar that process under the terms of the license granted to the club.
Abramovich will also have properties in London, along with private jets and yachts residing in the UK, seized if they are found.
British officials said the billionaire had been sanctioned both over his personal connections to the Kremin, which he has denied, which has led to preferential contracts being received over the years.
It was also alleged that the steel company, in which he has the majority stake in, had played in role in providing material for the Russian military.
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/yad-vashem-suspends-partnership-with-abramovich-after-uk-sanctions/