PM confirms call with Putin over the weekend; Bolton and Netanyahu to meet on Iran and Syria on Sunday; PM: We are acting decisively to thwart all those who seek to endanger us.
Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed a call with President Putin this weekend as part of the ongoing military coordination between Russia with Israel on Syria and ahead of meeting with US National Security Adviser John Bolton.
The call centered on Iran in Syria, the Office of the Prime Minister confirming Sunday morning “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two discussed the situation in Syria and recent developments and agreed on continued coordination between the Israeli and Russian militaries.”
Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s right to defense and that “Israel is determined to continue its efforts to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.”
Bolton arrived in Israel on Saturday night and will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli security officials on Sunday before traveling to Turkey for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His meetings will center on Iran and Syria, as well as the US withdrawal from Syria.
Last week, President Trump extended the period to withdraw all US military personnel from Syria to four months amidst reports that Netanyahu requested the extension. Following Trump’s announcement, Netanyahu stated “Trump’s decision to withdraw the American soldiers from Syria will not change our policy. We are standing steadfast on our red lines in Syria and everywhere else.”
Speaking to IDF soldiers last week, Netanyahu spoke of Israel’s ongoing efforts to thwart Iran’s terror and entrenchment in Syria, as well as ongoing terror from the Gaza Strip. He also spoke of Operation Northern Shield that is actively exposing and eliminating Hezbollah’s tunnel network into Israeli territory. He stated to hundreds of new cadets ahead of the weekend, “You will now be commanders in the army of a country that is surrounded by enemies on several fronts. We are acting decisively to thwart all those who seek to endanger us. This is now happening in Syria against Iran’s attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria. It is also happening on the Lebanese border. We are denying Hezbollah the weapon of terror tunnels which it had prepared in order to attack us…”
Be sure to watch Amir’s Middle East Update on developments in Iran, Syria and Lebanon.
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