Published October 16, 2023
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin entered the fevered diplomatic fray of the Middle East on Monday, speaking to five of the major players including Iran and leading Arab powers in an attempt to secure a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Russia, which has relationships with Iran, Hamas, major Arab powers as well as with the Palestinians and with Israel, has repeatedly said the United States and the West have ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders.
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SOURCE: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/world/885361/putin-speaks-to-iran-israel-palestinians-syria-and-egypt/story/
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Rebekah Koffler, author of ‘Putin’s Playbook,’ shares insight into Russia’s position on the war in Israel.
Published October 16, 2023
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the creation of an “independent, sovereign Palestinian state” and accused Israel of having taken by force “native Palestinian” lands.”
Putin’s statement, made in Moscow, during an international forum “Russian Energy Week,” marks the reversal of the Kremlin’s almost two-decades long policy that aimed to play both sides – Israel and the Palestinians – while clearly favoring the Jewish state. Here’s why Putin has chosen to side with the murderous Hamas terrorist organization, which orchestrated the largest mass terror attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
Since becoming president in 2000, Putin drastically improved the Russian-Israeli relationship. After decades of hostile relations between the USSR and Israel, Putin became the first Kremlin leader to visit Israel in 2005. He subsequently endorsed the building of a massive $60 million Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, to which he donated a month’s worth of his salary. Having opened in Moscow in 2012, the museum acknowledged Russia’s and the USSR’s history of antisemitism, and recognized the contributions of Jews to Soviet life.
Putin’s amicable attitude toward Jewish people was likely in response to the affection he received as a child from an old, religious Jewish couple with whom his family shared a communal apartment in St. Petersburg. As a practical matter, Putin probably calculated that the 1.2 million Russian and former Soviet émigrés living in Israel represented a good pool of expatriates who could return to their own or their parents’ motherland, adding some educated human capital to demographically struggling Russia.
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SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/russia-played-israel-hamas-heres-why-putin-picked-side-terrorists
RELATED: Putin’s muted response to Hamas attack speaks volumes about Russia’s deepening ties with Iran
After decades of friendly relations with Israel, Russia is aligning with its arch enemy
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Wednesday at the 2023 Russian Energy Week international forum in Moscow. After his speech, Putin talked about the what is happening in Israel and Gaza. (Kristina Kormilitsyna/via Reuters )
Published October 12, 2023
When Russian President Vladimir Putin described what was happening in Israel, he told an energy forum in Moscow that the level of violence was “very high on both sides” and failed to single out Hamas for the surprise attack that left hundreds of Israeli citizens dead.
Instead, the Russian leader spoke Wednesday about the importance of creating a Palestinian state with its capital city located in occupied East Jerusalem.
Those comments, along with his lack of condemnation around the Hamas attack, show Russia’s deteriorating relationship with Israel in favour of forging closer ties with Israel’s arch enemy, Iran.
Experts say the eruption of violence in the Middle East could ultimately benefit Russia if the west’s attention and resources are shifted away from Ukraine. They also say Russia’s response to the crisis is proof of the country’s growing dependency on Iran for support.
Iran: Ally of Hamas, ‘primary partner’ of Russia
“Iran has become one of Russia’s primary partners,” said Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in a message to CBC News. “Iran provides Russia with Shahed drones and will most likely provide Russia with other types of weapons including missiles.”
Iran is the main backer of Hamas, the political and militant group behind early Saturday attack that prompted Israel’s declare of war. The conflict has so far killed about 2,300 people on both sides.
On Wednesday, Russian officials said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Moscow soon. A date was not announced.
Russia has met with delegations from Hamas before, including last March, and it has previously hosted other Palestinian groups, including the Palestinian Authority.
