Putin’s remarks on territory seizure won’t affect ties with Israel – expert to RT

The Russian president has named the Jewish state as the main beneficiary of the Syrian crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnation of Israel’s seizure of Syrian territory during his annual press conference is unlikely to harm relations between Moscow and West Jerusalem, a Middle East expert has told RT.

“One can have any attitude towards what Israel is doing,” but “Russia condemns the seizure of any Syrian territories.” Putin stated. “This is obvious. Our position here is firm,” he stressed.

RT asked Murad Sadygzade, the president of the Middle East Studies Center and a visiting lecturer at the HSE University in Moscow, about Putin’s assessment of the situation in Syria and the potential implications for Russia-Israel ties. Unlike “many of our experts,” Putin provided a wider view of the whole situation in Syria, Sadygzade said.

“The situation in Syria is a [part of a] more global, let’s say, strategy of Western countries, including Israel as an extension of the West in the Middle East, to diminish the capabilities and position of Iran,” he stated. 

“In principle, I absolutely agree with the president’s statement that the main beneficiary is Israel,” the expert added.

Putin’s remarks are unlikely to damage ties between Russia and Israel, particularly given that international relations had already become extremely polarized in the wake of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, according to Sadygzade. 

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“That is, if we are talking about international relations, Israel has always been quite close to the West. And Russia has no illusions in this regard,” he said.

At the same time, Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have demonstrated strong “personal relations,” and these ties likely to stay, Sadygzade suggested. 

“For a very long time, they have shown… the ability to smooth some sharp edges in relations between Moscow and West Jerusalem precisely thanks to that personal contact,” he said. 

Putin’s remarks are consistent with Moscow’s long-time position of defending Syria’s territorial integrity, as well as its stance on the Golan Heights, a Syrian region long-occupied by Israel, Sadygzade noted. 

“Russia has always strictly adhered to international law in this regard. Putin also stated that Russia condemns the occupation of the Golan Heights. This has always been our firm position; it has not changed in any way,” he said.