Posted on 03/04/2014 3:48:04 PM PST by SoFloFreeper
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was surprised by a forthright expression of support for the Jewish state from Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting last month in Moscow, Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported on Friday.
Netanyahu had flown to meet the Russian leader in a last minute effort to prevent an interim nuclear deal between Iran and world powers from being signed.
During the meeting, Netanyahu asked Putin to withhold support for the convening of a Nuclear Non Proliferation Conference the stated purpose of which would be to rid the entire Middle East of nuclear weapons, according to the report. In 2010, President Barack Obama first announced plans for the convening of this international meeting. However, due to Israeli pressure, America pulled its support for the initiative late in 2012.
Russia was and remains one of the Conference’s chief backers. Ma’ariv said that in his meeting with Putin, Netanyahu explained that a meeting with effectively the chief aim of dismantling Israel’s nuclear capability – the existence of which has never been confirmed by Israel – will harm the country’s vital national interests.
Netanyahu went on to explain to the Russian President that there will only be a place for the convening of such a meeting after peaceful relations have been established between Israel and Arab countries across the Middle East, Ma’ariv said.
At this point in their hour-and-a-half conversation, Putin surprised the Israeli Premier. “Russia will slow all efforts to convene the conference,” Putin promised Netanyahu, according to Ma’ariv. Putin went even further, making it clear to Netanyahu that Russia will not do anything to harm Israel. He added that despite the alliance between Israel and the United States, Russia stands by Israel.
The reported comments come as somewhat of a policy about -face, as four short months ago Putin stated that Israel should dismantle its nuclear capability. However, the devil is in the details of this apparent change in the official Russian position vis-a-vis Israel’s nuclear program. Specifically, Putin told Netanyahu that Russia supports the ‘slowing’ of efforts to convene an international Nuclear Non Proliferation Conference, not a complete cessation of such efforts.
In short, while Putin is taking the Israeli position into account, he fully intends to keep all options on the table.
Can Bibi trust BO?
Hmm. Strange things afoot.
wtf
Trust, but verify.
Currently all evidence would indicated that at least Putin has balls and does things that are in the best interest of his country.
2) No. (Withholding more candid and honest answer.)
I said the same thing, basically, in another earlier thread.
Russia’s influence in the middle east stems from it’s eternal desire for access to warm water ports.
With Obama’s incredible bungling in Iraq, Putin could see Iraq becoming such a corridor in the future.
With Obama in the WH Israel needs all the friends it can get.
four short months ago Putin stated that Israel should dismantle its nuclear capabilityIf Netanyahu plans to keep having meetings with Zero and Pooty-Poot, he needs to start packing a gun. Thanks SoFloFreeper.
Wasn’t Putin saved from thugs back in his street-fighting days by a Jewish neighbor?
Always trust but verify. With Obama though, don’t trust under any circumstances.
What is clear is that Egypt has entered Russian orbit, and they just recently criminalized any dealing with Hamas. A TIME article declared future president El-Sisi ‘The Putin of the Nile’.
Gotta do what you gotta do.
Putin demonstrates 10x the admirable qualities that our illegitimate imposter grifter president. It really sucks to hold a better opinion of the leading international tyrant than the domestic, but the imposter poses a much greater and real threat to the average American than Putin does.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Doesn't surprise me at all. Putin knows Israel can't trust Obama. And there are upwards of a million Russians in Israel. Of course they're there because they had a way out of Russia, but it's a smart move on Putin's part. I doubt Bibi was surprised. Or that he trusts Putin. A part of the world in which our influence has been dissipated. The vacuum will be filled.
“And there are upwards of a million Russians in Israel.”
I didn’t realize that it was that high, but with the 2 major aliyahs in the 70s and 90s I guess so. Stunning, really. Not questioning your # at all.
I don't think Putin is antisemitic. I don't think he is anti Israel. But given the opportunity, impetus, excuse, etc., he would throw Israel under the bus.
[See the New Testament: Book of Revelations]
5.56mm
thanks
On the other hand, you've got Egypt fighting Hamas, and the Saudi's (and others) rumored to be willing to confront Iran along with Israel. Interesting part of the world, difficult to predict what the near term future of the region will be, other than America will continue losing influence, and Russia will continue to gain.
I wonder if this has anything to do with all the ex-Russian Jews who are now living in Israel?
When I worked for Israeli companies, articles about Bibi and Vlad meeting were in the newspapers. This is not new. They were hammering out issues concerning energy development, economic cooperation and Middle East security. I was at first surprised because I thought that Israel and Russia were enemies. They’re not. My impression was that Putin and Netanyahu had respect for each other, as opposed to how they see our Obuma as a flippin’ clown.
Here's what Putin and Netanyahu have in common - they both love their respective countries and both can't be bullied easily. The term 'tough as nails' applies to both...
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