Putin and Netanyahu
Netanyahu: Israel, Russia to Coordinate Military Action in Syria to Prevent Confrontation
Netanyahu says the two sides will establish a coordination mechanism to prevent ‘misunderstandings, clashes’ between Russian and Israeli forces.
Barak Ravid Sep 21, 2015 5:34 PM
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence, outside Moscow, Russia, Sept. 21, 2015.AP
Netanyahu tells Putin: I came to Moscow to prevent misunderstandings between IDF and Russian forces in Syria
Russian meddling in Syria drives Netanyahu to Moscow
Ahead of Netanyahu’s trip to Moscow: Russian fighter jets spotted in Syria
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two sides agreed to establish a coordination mechanism to prevent misunderstandings and unintended confrontations between the Israeli military and Russian forces deployed in Syria.
“This is very important for Israel’s security, and this is the first, clear outcome of this conversation,” Netanyahu told reporters at the conclusion of his visit to Russia. “It’s enough to imagine the alternative – a dangerous confrontation with Russia, and dealing with these misunderstandings after the fact – to understand the importance of this visit.”
Netanyahu noted that he briefed the U.S. administration on the details of his trip to Russia and the issues that were discussed with Putin. “Everyone has an interest in preventing an unnecessary clash,” Netanyahu said. “Our ties with the U.S. are of foremost importance, strong, steadfast and stable. We are entirely coordinated on this matter.”
Netanyahu added that the bulk of the conversation with Putin, which lasted two and a half hours, was dedicated to the security situation on Israel’s northern border. He noted that he made it clear to the Russian president that Israel will continue to take action to prevent the transfer of lethal weapons from Syria and Iran to Hezbollah and to thwart Iranian attempts to carry out terror attacks against Israel in the Golan Heights.
“I made it unequivocally clear that we will not tolerate the armament that Iran is leading against us, and will take every action that we have taken so far as well as other measures against this terrorism and these threats to our security,” the prime minister said. “I told Putin that it’s our right and duty, and he didn’t take issue with that.”
Netanyahu noted that Putin explained his intentions with regard to deploying military forces in Syria. He said the Russian president made it clear that he will “ensure that whatever intentions Russia has in Syria, it will not be partner to Iranian aggression” against Israel.
After their meeting, Netanyahu told Putin that “on both a personal and national level – in all of our contacts, when we agreed and when we didn’t, the conversation between us has always been based on mutual respect and transparency.”
Putin responded by saying, “this is how it will be, honorable prime minister. Have no doubts on that matter.”
“We never forget that in the State of Israel reside many former Soviet citizens, and that has a special implication on the relationship between our two states. Every Russian action in the area has always been very responsible. We are aware of the artillery against Israel and we condemn it,” Putin said.
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La Siria ha rotto il ghiaccio tra Washington e Mosca
La Russia e gli Stati Uniti, nonostante le divergenze, hanno intensificato i contatti nell’ultimo periodo per poter risolvere il conflitto in Siria e fermare l’avanzata di ISIS.
Il 18 settembre il ministro della Difesa russo Sergey Shoigu e il segretario alla Difesa degli USA Ashton Carter hanno avuto i primi contatti tra i due dicasteri dall’agosto 2014.
Inoltre la scorsa settimana ci sono state consultazioni a Mosca tra una delegazione della CIA e il servizio di spionaggio estero russo. L’obiettivo dell’incontro era quello di discutere la cooperazione tra i due Paesi sulla Siria. L’intensificazione dei contatti tra gli Stati Uniti e la Federazione Russa segna una svolta.
Washington intende cooperare con la Russia nell’ambito di intelligence nella lotta contro il gruppo terroristico dello “Stato Islamico” in Siria, ha scritto il giornale “Bild am Sonntag”, basandosi su delle fonti nei servizi segreti americani.
La ripresa dei contatti tra gli Stati Uniti e la Russia rivela il fatto che a Washington si sono resi conto dell’impossibilità di fermare la guerra in Siria senza l’aiuto di Mosca, ha scritto l’altro giornale tedesco “Spiegel”.
Il 18 settembre il ministro della Difesa russo Sergey Shoigu e il numero uno del Pentagono Ashton Carter avevano discusso “l’interesse reciproco per l’annientamento dello “Stato Islamico” in Siria.”
Allo stesso tempo, secondo il Pentagono, “non si è parlato di operazioni militari immediate da parte della Russia.”
Nei media americani la ripresa del dialogo è stata caratterizzata come una grande vittoria della Russia. In precedenza avevano espresso timori per la presenza di truppe russe in Siria proprio gli Stati Uniti e l’Europa.
Inoltre la scorsa settimana ci sono state consultazioni a Mosca tra una delegazione della CIA e il servizio di spionaggio estero russo. L’obiettivo dell’incontro era quello di discutere la cooperazione dei servizi segreti tra i due Paesi, in particolare in Siria.
I contatti non sono limitati al Pentagono e alle agenzie di intelligence. Il segretario di Stato USA John Kerry ha detto che i negoziati tra Mosca e Washington sulla Siria inizieranno a breve.
Il 17 settembre il ministero degli Esteri russo aveva fatto sapere che Mosca era pronta a fornire informazioni sulla cooperazione tecnico-militare di Washington con Damasco.
Lo stesso giorno il portavoce della Casa Bianca Josh Earnest aveva affermato che Washington ritiene necessario proseguire il dialogo con il presidente russo Vladimir Putin, nonostante le divergenze.
Earnest ha osservato che Obama telefona a Putin quando “è nell’interesse degli Stati Uniti.”
Ancora una volta è stata necessaria una telefonata in merito alla situazione in Siria.
Il portavoce del presidente russo Dmitry Peskov ha detto che Putin è sempre aperto al dialogo con il presidente americano, sebbene non sia stato siglato alcun patto in merito.
Contemporaneamente Putin ha evidenziato che senza il coinvolgimento delle autorità siriane nella lotta contro ISIS, i terroristi non verranno annientati.
Pertanto le parti hanno raggiunto la consapevolezza della necessità del dialogo e dell’elaborazione di soluzioni comuni.
Relativamente ad ISIS i problemi militari superano la politica.
Come scritto sul giornale russo “Vzglyad” dall’analista militare Viktor Murakhovsky, “i militari sono pragmatici, vedono ciò che sta accadendo in Medio Oriente. Capiscono che senza il sostegno della Russia sconfiggere ISIS è impossibile.”
http://it.sputniknews.com/politica/20150921/1199238.html
Putin to Netanyahu: Syrian army too busy saving country to threaten Israel
Israeli concerns that Syria would provide advanced weapons to the Lebanese militant movement Hezbollah are exaggerated, considering that the country is fighting for survival, the Russian president told the visiting Israeli prime minister.
Benjamin Netanyahu is in Moscow on Monday to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and clarify Russia’s position.
“Israel and Russia have common goals – to ensure stability in the Middle East,” Netanyahu said. “Iran and Syria are arming the radical Islamist terrorist group [Hezbollah] with advanced weapons, which they use to target our country.”
The PM alleged that Damascus and Tehran are working to “create a second terrorist front in the Golan Heights.”
The Israeli concerns are exaggerated, Vladimir Putin assured his guest.
“We have always condemned the rocket attacks on Israel, but as far as I know those rockets are home-made,” Putin said. “As for Syria, we know and understand that the Syrian army and the country in general are not in a condition to open a second front. The Syrians are busy fighting for their own statehood.”
Netanyahu’s visit comes amid media hype over alleged intensification of Russian military support of Damascus. Some reports suggested that Russia delivered military hardware and troops to Syria to prop the government of President Bashar Assad. Moscow insists that nothing extraordinary is happening compared to the regular supplies of arms that Russia has been doing for years under previous contracts with Syria.
READ MORE: ‘No one can bury heads in sand:’ Hezbollah leader calls for help fighting ISIS in Syria
Israel has been keeping distance from the Syrian war since it started in 2011, with the exception of several airstrikes reportedly launched by the IDF to prevent the supply of advanced weapons to Hezbollah. The Lebanon-based militant movement is an ally of the Syrian government and had deployed its fighters to support Damascus.