Report: Russia will work to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from threatening Israel

Russia will make sure that Iran and the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah “concentrate on the bigger picture” in Syria instead of threatening Israel. 

Russia has informed Israel that it will prevent Iranian forces and the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah from using Syria as a base to threaten Israel, according to a report in Yedioth Ahronoth.

“If Iran and Hezbollah go overboard in their involvement in Syria, we will restrain them,” the report quoted a Russian official as saying. Instead, Russia will instruct both Iran and Hezbollah “to concentrate on the bigger picture” in Syria.

Both Hezbollah and Iran have established a presence in Syria after entering the civil war on behalf of the government in Damascus. Israel fears that the Iranian presence in Syria could remain permanent, creating a “Shiite corridor” that would pose a national security threat to Israel.

“We are aware of Israel’s concerns and things were clarified during the latest meeting between Putin and Netanyahu,” the Russian official added.

According to the report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also told Russian president Vladimir Putin at their last meeting that Iran’s goals in Syria do not fall in line with Moscow’s.  

“The long term Iranian plan does not include Russia,” said Netanyahu, according to the Russian official. “The Iranians will also try to boot you from there.”

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman also recently warned the Syrian government not to threaten Israel.

“I strongly suggest to our neighbors from the north not to try and provoke or threaten us because we take these threats seriously,” Liberman said at a ceremony on Monday in the Galilee region for fallen Bedouin soldiers.

“I advise against entering into a confrontation with Israel,” Liberman continued. “It will end badly for them, very badly.”

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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