Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow, April 4th, in Moscow for talks on regional conflicts. The two leaders have spoken on the phone in the past few days to discuss Israel’s concerns over Russia's approach to Iran's military buildup in Syria.
While some have complained that the visit so close to next week’s national election only serves to boost Netanyahu's chances at the polls, the timing is both strategic and crucial.
In preparation for meeting, Netanyahu told Israel Hayom, “I've succeeded in ensuring that we have freedom of movement in dealing with the Russian army (in Syria), and that was no small amount of effort. If Iran entrenches itself in Syria, we won't even be able to compare the threat to the other branch of radical Islam, in Gaza.”
Moscow continues to play Russian roulette with Middle East terror. While trying to appear friendly to both sides, Moscow works closely with Israel’s lethal enemy, Iran. Russia already operates numerous military forces in Syria, including 50-year commitments to run large naval and air bases in Tartus and Latakia along the Mediterranean seaboard. Recent Israeli intelligence reports have expressed concern that Russia is in the process of turning the Latakia naval base over to Iran, which would give Tehran a dangerous foothold in the Mediterranean.
So far, Putin has turned a blind eye to most of Israel's military strikes against Iranian assets and allies, including Hezbollah, in both Syria and Lebanon. Over the last several years, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian targets in order to keep the Iranians from establishing a presence in the country. The IDF has been vigilant in preventing the transfer of advanced weapons systems to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which is a constant threat to Israel’s northern border.
But after years of tacit approval for Israel’s defensive strikes on Iranian installations in and around Russian-controlled parts of Syria, Moscow is now taking a harder line against Israeli intervention.
The fighting in Syria is now over who will control the wreckage of what used to be nation. A new axis of evil has quickly formed along Israel’s northern border between Russia, Turkey, Iran and Hezbollah. And as Scripture tells us, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” The US decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the strategic Golan Heights, which serve as a buffer between Syria and the Jewish state, could not have come at a better time.
In Moscow, Netanyahu needs to make clear to the Russian premier that Israel has no choice but to prevent Iran from entrenching in Syria. In his pre-trip interview with Israel Hayom, Netanyahu said that this would be the main subject he will be discussing with President Putin.
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