Putin to meet mother of jailed Israeli Naama Issachar

Putin will meet with Naama’s mother in the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem. 

By World Israel News Staff

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet imprisoned Israeli Naama Issachar’s mother on Thursday during his visit to Israel, the Kremlin announced.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will also attend the meeting between Putin and Yaffa Issachar, a Putin adviser said, reports Israel’s Channel 12. The meeting will take place at the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem.

Naama Issachar, 25, was arrested at Moscow’s international airport in April while waiting for a connecting flight on her way from a vacation in India. Russian authorities claimed that 9.2 grams of marijuana were found in her checked-in luggage. Naama was later sentenced to 7 1/2 years for drug dealing.

Channel 12 reports senior Russian diplomat, Yuri Ushakov, said “Netanyahu repeatedly asked for her release, and [Israeli] President Rivlin also sent a letter. The parties will discuss the humanitarian aspect of the issue during the meeting.”

According to reports, Israel will make a number of concessions to Russia to win the freedom of Issachar.

The news site also reports that Israel presumes that Russia expected to hear a  “clear statement” regarding Russia’s contribution to defeating the Nazis in World War II. The issue of Russia’s role in World War II has become a recent source of friction between Russia and Poland. Poland accuses Russia of helping start World War II by signing the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in 1939.

Russia may also obtain control of some properties in Jerusalem, including the Russian Compound, whcih was transferred to Israel in the 1960s.