Netanyahu: Russia has not called for cessation of Israeli operations in Syria

Netanyahu said Russia has not departed from its policy of maintaining deconfliction mechanisms and understandings with Israel in Syria. 

On Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected circulating reports on an alleged Russian request of Israel to cease military operations in Syria.

“It’s simply incorrect to say the Russians are changing their policy toward us,” Netanyahu told reporters from China towards the end of his official state visit to the country. “If there is feasibility from an intelligence and military standpoint, we strike and so it will continue.”

The reported change in policy from agreed-upon deconfliction mechanisms in Syria between Israel and Russia came a few days after Israel’s new ambassador to Russia Gary Koren was summoned by Moscow a day after presenting his credentials to President Vladimir Putin.

Koren met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister to discuss Israel’s strike on several targets in Syria on Thursday night, which the IDF explained was intended to prevent an advanced weaponry shipment to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.

Russia has politically and militarily supported the Syrian government in the country’s ongoing six-year civil war.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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