NETANYAHU TO PUTIN: WE’LL CONTINUE ACTING AGAINST IRAN IN SYRIA

NETANYAHU TO PUTIN: WE’LL CONTINUE ACTING AGAINST IRAN IN SYRIA

NETANYAHU TO PUTIN: WE’LL CONTINUE ACTING AGAINST IRAN IN SYRIA

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin spent much of their meeting on Wednesday discussing Russia’s S-300 anti-missile systems in Syria, with Netanyahu saying afterward that Israel will continue to operate as it feels necessary against Iranian targets there.

In comments to reporters after the meeting, the prime minister said it was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere

Although Putin and Netanyahu met briefly in Paris in November, this was the first extended formal meeting the two leaders had since the downing of the Russian intelligence plane over Syria in September.

Senior diplomatic officials said that the incident was discussed during the meeting, but the two countries have now moved beyond it.

Accompanied by Head of Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Tamir Hyman, Netanyahu said that intelligence information was presented to Putin, though he gave no details. This information is believed to deal with Iran’s positions inside Syria.

Netanyahu said that the issue of the S-300 was dealt with at great length and from every possible angle. These missile batteries were transferred to Syria after the plane incident.

“Israel will continue to operate as it needs to protect itself from Iranian aggression in Syria,” Netanyahu said. He also said it was made clear that Israel will do this while being in close coordination with the Russians to prevent unnecessary friction and accidents.

Netanyahu said that the objective of removing Iranian troops from Syria is not Israel’s alone.

He proposed setting up a team with others to promote the goal of removing from Syria all foreign forces on its soil and returning the situation regarding foreign troops to what it was before the start of the Syrian civil war. He said a team has been established to deal with this matter in Israel’s National Security Council.

During his briefing with journalists, Netanyahu refused to answer questions dealing with the possible decision on Thursday by Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit about whether to indict him, saying he will deal with that when he returns to Israel.

Netanyahu arrived in Moscow at about 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, went to his hotel, and then to the Kremlin for a meeting with Putin that lasted for about two hours. Before that meeting, he said at a photo-op alongside the Russian president that the greatest threat to regional security and stability is Iran and its proxies.

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Read More: The Jerusalem Post

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