By Michael Lobovikov, ISRAEL HAYOM
Last week, President Reuven Rivlin met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. It’s hard to ignore the fact that this was the second state visit between top government officials in Israel and Russia in the space of six months: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Putin in September 2015.
During Rivlin’s visit, it was said that Netanyahu would return to Russia soon. And according to the limited information about the talks between Rivlin and Putin — which entailed considerable involvement by security officials on both sides — it was very clear that they addressed plenty of important issues, far beyond ceremonies and public relations.
Israel strengthening its ties with countries that have influence in the global arena is always considered a diplomatic coup. At a time when Israel is forced to set up a special ministry tasked with fighting global attempts to boycott it (under the successful leadership of Minister Gilad Erdan), opening any avenue that both makes Israel’s stance clear and gives it some influence over the processes taking place around it helps bolster the country’s security. Military coordination between the Russian army and the Israel Defense Forces in Syria — after a history of clashes there just a few decades ago — will affect the alliances of power currently being woven in the Middle East for years to come.
Aside from the immediate security and defense issues, Israel investing in its ties with Russia demonstrates an understanding of the opportunities created by the biggest nation in the world coming back to the Middle East as an active player. Today, Russia and Israel are looking for, and finding, many common interests in areas such as industry and trade, research, agriculture, tourism, and culture. These fields are an excellent base for them to get to know each other better, especially at a time when each side still clings to prejudices and stigmas about the other, which must disappear.
Israel cannot miss the enormous interest Russian media outlets have in what goes on in our state, along with many circles in Russian government and society. Israel, for the most part, enjoys a positive image in the main Russian media, sometimes from reasons unrelated to Israel itself. We are considered outstanding in the fields of security and defense, advanced technology, and economics. With a certain effort, and if we take advantage of the opportunities that are opening before us, we can improve our relations with Russia and bring them to a level that can only be compared to our relations with the U.S. It’s important to do that now, before the U.S. presidential election becomes too sensitive and loaded, as it will be a few months from now.
The Russian Jewish community has an important role to play in the relations between the two countries. Community institutions have done a great deal, and are now putting even more effort into facilitating the positive process of Russia and Israel drawing closer. Russian-born Israelis also have a lot to contribute to that process, given their ties to family and friends back in Russia.
If Israel takes proper advantage of all these opportunities, it can improve its position within Russia’s sphere of influence significantly. Closer ties will help both nations meet their expectations from one another and lay the foundations for a long-term relationship.
Michael Lobovikov is the chairman of Likud Russia and a former activist in the Soviet Jewry aliyah movement.
An excellent analysis demonstrating that Putins role in benghazi and syria may have been more pivotal than thought.
Putin is a fascist who has been fully complicit in facilitating the Iranian nuclear program, so extreme caution is advised.
What is not noted in this article, but what I would say is also an important factor, is the role played by India. India has always had good relations with Russia, and today, India is emerging as a major partner for Israel. I strongly suspect that India has played the role of an important behind-the-scenes “bridge” for Israel and Russia.
Perhaps with the election of a GOP president in the U.S. – as opposed to yet another member of the Traitor Party – an Israel-India-Russia-U.S. axis can form that would act decisively against Islamist terror. This is at least one possibility.
If Hillary wins anyway, a Russia-India-Israel partnership would still be very powerful, and in particular. might allow Israel to develop a new fighter aircraft and other weapons that would reduce her dependence on the U.S. for such big-ticket items. Israel will have little choice but to move in this direction if the Traitor Party keeps the White House.