Skip to main content

Russian defense minister arrives in Tel Aviv as Israel strikes Syria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman explained to visiting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Israel’s red lines in Syria.
Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu (R) stands next to his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman as as they look at pictures of Jews killed in the Holocaust during a visit to the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem's Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem October 17, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC1504C794D0
Read in 

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu could not have dreamed about better timing for his visit to Israel. He arrived Oct. 16 only a few hours after the especially severe incident that occurred over the Syrian skies between the Israeli air force and the Syrian anti-aircraft deployment. Two days later, Iranian Military Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri threatened Israel that his country won’t accept Israeli attacks against Syria anytime it wants.

Indeed, Gen. Shoigu’s visit could not have come at a better time. He came exactly when the entire Middle East had its eyes on the airspace between Damascus and Beirut — which is crowded with Israelis, Russians, Syrians, Americans, Lebanese and air forces from many other countries. One would have expected that the hotline between the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) with the Russian army and its expeditionary force would be burning up. Yet the Russian defense minister himself arrived in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in real time, met with Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman one day and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the next day (in Liberman’s presence), and he didn’t even skip the traditional visit to Yad Vashem.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.