JERUSALEM, Nov. 20 (JTA) – Israeli Trade and Industry Minister Natan Sharansky has postponed a trip to Russia because of the death of his brother-in-law. The ministry issued a statement Wednesday announcing the reason for the postponement of next week’s trip, but did not announce a new date for the visit. An entourage of some 100 people, more than half of them business leaders, was scheduled to accompany Sharansky on the trip, which was aimed at increasing commercial ties between Israel and Russia. Sharansky’s visit would have been his first to Russia since leaving the country 10 years ago. Jailed for alleged espionage, he served nine years in Soviet prisons before being allowed to leave for Israel in 1986 in an East-West prisoner swap.
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