Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent announcement that his Israeli government has come to an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Syrian issue sends several messages to various parties, with Iran being a prominent focus. Netanyahu seeks to make it clear to the Iranian regime that despite the settlement, air strikes will continue in Syria. Additionally, providing military support to Russia, including Iranian drones, will not be seen as a concession in exchange for a change in Russia’s stance on air strikes.
The specific new clauses added to the existing Russian-Israeli understandings in Syria are not yet known. However, in a recent interview with a French channel, Netanyahu described the settlement as being “satisfying to Israel and not violating Russia’s interests.” This indicates that Israeli strikes will continue without posing any danger to Russian forces in Syria.
Observers note that the announcement of the continuation of Israeli-Russian understandings coincides with the formation of Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government.
Russia blesses Israeli strikes
According to Dr. Mahmoud al-Hamza, a researcher and expert on Russian affairs, the understandings between Israel and Russia regarding Syria are not new. Israel has previously notified Russia of its intention to launch air strikes, but the level of coordination between the two sides had decreased in recent times. However, with the return of Netanyahu, who has a strong relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the level of coordination has increased once again, and the two sides are now returning to their previous course.
In an interview with Orient Net, Dr. Mahmoud AHamza emphasized that the recent announcement affirms both parties’ commitment to their previous understandings. This means that Israeli air strikes will continue with Russian support. Hamza also noted that despite the size of the alliance between Russia and Iran, it could not compare to the strategic partnership between Moscow and Tel Aviv.
In similar news, the writer specializing in Russian affairs, Taha Abdel Wahed, believes that it is not in Russia’s interest to have a confrontation between its forces in Syria and any external party. The settlement here is an affirmation of Russia’s requirement not to strike the sites where its soldiers are located in exchange for Russian air defences not dealing with Israeli fighter jets while carrying out raids in Syria.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
