Putin and Netanyahu at the "Victory Day Parade" at Moscow's Red Square on Wednesday. Image source: Reuters via Newsweek.
Times of Israel: Israel, Russia said to reach secret deal on pushing Iran away from Syria border
Reported agreement will see Israel consent to return of Assad's army to Syrian Golan Heights, in exchange for Russia ensuring no Iranian or Hezbollah troops there.
Israel and Russia have reached a secret agreement to distance Iranian forces from the border area in southern Syria, Israeli TV reported Monday, as Jerusalem and Moscow sent differing messages regarding the extent of their tolerance for Iran’s military presence in that country.
Under the apparent agreement coming together, Israel will accept the return of Syrian regime soldiers to the border on the Golan Heights, in exchange for Russia guaranteeing there are no Iranian or Hezbollah forces in the area, Hadashot TV news reported.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: It looks like both Russia and Israel are reading form the same script ....
Israel, Russia agree to boot Iran and Hezbollah from northern border -- Jerusalem Post
Only Syrian army should have presence in south, say Russia and Israel -- Middle East Monitor
Netanyahu says Iranian forces need to be kept out of all of Syria -- Times of Israel
Only Syrian army should be on country's southern border: Russia -- Reuters
Russia: Only Syrian forces should be stationed on Israel border -- Al Jazeera
Update: Speaking of timing .... Israel's Defense Chief to Visit Russia, Discuss Iran and Syria With Counterpart (Haaretz)
This increases the pressure on Solimeini.
ReplyDeleteJH
Russia will give all the help Iran need to defend itself, but doesn't want to be included in a fight with Israel...and United States. That's rational as Putin is always.(I am not a Putin supporter, but that's a fact)
ReplyDeletejac,
ReplyDelete"Russia will give all the help Iran need to defend itself" I don't even know about that for sure. I do agree with you that Putin is a pragmatist/opportunist internationally (which he has displayed throughout his career) but he has to deal with the fact Iran in the end wants no western entities in what they consider their sphere of influence. They have caused him no end of trouble and their alliance has always been a matter of convenience, which seems to have lost most of it's value to Putin recently.
WNU could answer this better than I but I will say that the appearance of Netanyehu at Putin's in the recent march in Moscow could not possibly sent a louder message of Putin's plans for Russia's presence in the ME.
JH