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Russia expects Israeli ‘gestures of goodwill’ in exchange for Naama’s release

Russia expects Netanyahu to praise its contribution to defeating Hitler at Thursday’s Fifth World Holocaust Forum.

By World Israel News Staff

Naama Issachar’s release from a Russian prison will be dependent on Israel’s willingness to show gestures of goodwill to Russia, reports Channel 12 News.

Israel has already shown its goodwill by handing control over Alexander’s Courtyard in Jerusalem’s Old City to the Russians and releasing two Syrian security prisoners earlier this month.

Russia also expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give praise to them at Thursday’s Fifth World Holocaust Forum for their part in fighting off the Nazis in World War II.

According to Israel Hayom, Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss formal terms of Issachar’s release with Netanyahu when they meet in person on Thursday.

The Kremlin has announced that Putin will meet with Naama Issachar’s mother on Thursday,

Last week, Netanyahu spoke to Putin about Issachar’s release and exuded confidence that it will happen soon.

The conversation with Putin 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,” the Prime Minister’s Office’s stated at the time.

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.

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