‘Optimism’: Netanyahu and Putin discuss Middle East, Israeli jailed in Russia

The conversation “was warm and to the point and strengthened the Prime Minister’s optimism that the issue of the release of Naama Issachar is advancing towards a solution,” Netanyahu’s office stated.

By TPS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin about “regional developments and regarding Naama Issachar,” the Israeli jailed in Russia for minor drug offenses.

The Prime Minister’s Office’s stated that the conversation “was warm and to the point and strengthened the Prime Minister’s optimism that the issue of the release of Naama Issachar is advancing towards a solution.”

Twenty-six-year-old Issachar was arrested on April 9 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, where she had stopped for a connecting flight to Tel Aviv from New Delhi. Russian authorities found 9.5 grams of cannabis in her luggage, arrested her and took her into custody to await trial.

She was convicted on October 11 in Moscow’s Khimki City Court on charges of drug possession and smuggling and was sentenced to seven and half years in prison.

A Russian court in December rejected Issachar’s appeal.

After the verdict was announced Netanyahu spoke to Yaffa, Naama’s mother, and told her that “despite the disappointing court decision I am not giving up. I’ll keep doing whatever I can to bring Naama home.”

Netanyahu called Putin at the end of December to discuss foreign policy and request Naama’s release.

The Russian leader is slated to attend and address the fifth World Holocaust Forum marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Jerusalem next week.

He has reportedly shortened his stay in Israel following the political turmoil in his country.

Yaffa Issachar has pledged to block Putin’s convoy with her body.