Netanyahu to Putin: ‘Your missile sales to Assad could trigger war’
Netanyahu to Putin: ‘Your missile sales to Assad could trigger war’ | The Times of Israel.
PM says sophisticated S-300 system has no relevance for Syrian regime’s civil-war battles, but that its delivery by Moscow could prompt an Israeli response, Channel 2 reports
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that Moscow’s sale of a sophisticated missile defense system to President Bashar Assad could push the Middle East into war.
Netanyahu, who flew to meet Putin for emergency talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, told the Russian president that the S-300 had no relevance to Assad’s civil-war battles against rebel groups, and urged Moscow not to deliver the systems, Channel 2 reported on Wednesday night.
He said that if acquired by Assad, the S-300 — a state-of-the-art system that can intercept fighter jets and cruise missiles — “is likely to draw us into a response, and could send the region deteriorating into war,” the Channel 2 report said.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, asked last week about possible sales of the S-300 to Assad, said cagily: “Russia is not planning to sell. Russia has been selling for a long time, has signed contracts and is completing deliveries of technology that consists of anti-aircraft systems.”
Lavrov said the weapons were to help Syria defend itself against air attacks. Israel suspects that Russia plans to sell Damascus six S-300 missile batteries, as well as 144 missiles, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Tuesday, May 14, 2013. (photo credit: AP/ Maxim Shipenkov)
Netanyahu, who flew to meet Putin despite have only just returned from a trip to China, took with him his National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror and the head of military intelligence in the IDF Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi. Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin went too, to help with translations.
Netanyahu also briefed Putin on Israel’s intel assessment of Assad’s alleged chemical weapons use. He also filled the president in on Israel’s information concerning Syria’s transfer of arms to Hezbollah.
At a brief joint press conference, the Russian president said that the only way to resolve the crisis was via “the soonest end to armed conflict and the beginning of political settlement.”
He added: “At this sensitive moment, it’s particularly important to avoid any action that could destabilize the situation.”
Netanyahu, however, said that the volatile situation in the Middle East requires action to improve security. “The region around us is very unstable and explosive, and therefore I am glad for the opportunity to examine together new ways to stabilize the area and bring security and stability to the area,” he said. The prime minister’s bottom line was that “Israel will do whatever it takes to defend its citizens.”
Russia has continued to ship weapons to Syria, despite the civil war there, but it so far has refrained from providing Damascus with the S-300s, which has a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles), and the capability to track down and strike multiple targets simultaneously with lethal efficiency.
The weapon would mean a quantum leap in Syria’s air defense capability, including against neighboring countries.
Israel reportedly attacked suspected shipments of advanced Iranian weaponry — the Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missile — in Syria with back-to-back airstrikes this month. Israeli officials signaled there would be more attacks unless Syria refrains from trying to deliver such “game-changing” missiles to Hezbollah. Hezbollah said weapons shipments won’t cease.
On Monday, Israeli Tourism Minister Uzi Landau accused Russia of destabilizing the Middle East by selling weapons to Assad’s regime. “Anyone who provides weaponry to terror organizations is siding with terror,” Landau said.
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WarSclerotic 
May 16, 2013 at 8:51 AM
There is an old saying about the Russians which I’ve heard, for the first time in Romania, my former country. ” They – the Russians – didn’t forget nothing, nor they did learn anything.” Very true in this case. The lack of subtlety and political blunders brought Putin to give those systems (S-300) to Assad, while Israel simply cannot tolerate those missiles to be operational in the region. This is a ”casus belli ” in the most classic form. By the way, nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran is also a ” casus belli ” (a reason for war, in latin). But Putin is simply ”outdoing” himself when he said loud and clear, ”hands off from Syria”. Interesting to see whose hands – or, more exactly, nails – are deep involved in Syria. Putin is a hypocrite, a cynical man, who brought the entire region on the verge of war. He is making grave mistakes – nuclear facilities for Iran, sensitive weapons for Syria which is still at war with Israel – and after all this, he is trying to intimidate Bibi (in fact, Israel), hoping that Israel will not act, for the ”mighty” of the Russian army is big. I also remember the last lyrics of the song ”Rasputin”, by Boney M : ”ah, those Russians…”. And I may add to that: ”ah, this (Ras)Putin”.
May 16, 2013 at 10:13 AM
To understand why Putin is doing this, we must understand why he came to power in the first place.
Putin came to power because the Russians became sick of Boris Jelzin who made Russia the lauging stock of the world and embarassed the Russians so much.
Boris Jelziin, himself a corrupt man, came drunk to speeches or press conferences, sometimes he didn’t know what he was talking.
His handling of Chechnya was desastrous. The mighty Russian army was humiliated.. Beaten by a bunch of terrorists, Russia was forced to make peace with those jihadis. Then General Alexander Lebed struck a deal that allowed Russa to safe face.
Needless to say that this peace didn’t hold long because the jihadis did what jihadis always do. They tried to establish an islamic sharia state in the neighbouring republic of Dagestan.
And so after the decline of Russia as a super power, the economic decline, the embarassing leadership, the humiliation of their once mighty army, the estimation of the world of Russia as a toothless tiger, the repeated actions of NATO against Russia’s warnings, the Russians longed for the glory days where Russia was not loved by the world but it was at least feared and respected.
And so Putin came to power as a supposedly strong man who would restore Russia’s prestige and respect for Russia in the world.
He did this by waging a brutal war in Chechnya. The Russian army bombed the Chechen terrorist into submission by totally destroying their capital Grozny and other towns.
The second thing he did was to support the west’s enemies and Russia’s allies diplomitcally and by giving them Russian miltary hardware and technology. There were no more concessions to the West. Wherever possible Russia opposed the West (in the UN and at other forums).
Putin was helped by steadily increasing energy prices which allowed the Russian economy to recover.
Putin is no democrat. He is corrupt, ruthless and power hungry but he still needs to to have the support of the Russian people.
He is still popular for the reasons I gave. That is why he is acting this way.
But in the end this is still stupid, because the forces he supports will eventually turn against Russia.
May 16, 2013 at 12:44 PM
I think it is a bit different .
Do you think that BIBI visit putin and he will directly admit openly to the wishes of BIBI, hell no , but there is a difference between words and real action, i think there will be a stop on delivering ss3300 rockets but quit and easy , nobody lose face and a direct confrontation is avoided.
There is no gain for Russia whit a direct confrontation, they will lose there influence that way and a lot more.
I can not see a gain for Russia whit a direct confrontation whit Israel, the NATO and the USA, they will lose that big time.
I still think that there is a deal made, how and in what form i do not know but in a short time we will know.
I would be not surprised if putin trow assad/iran under the bus, but what do we have tp pay for it, of course whit a lot of verbal noise against Israel and the west but watch what will happen,
I do not think that he is willing to take the risk that the NATO and the USA keep sitting on there hands.
But on the other side whit the amount of islamic shit inside rusia the can not wait for a long term destabilizing in side Rusia fueled by our actions .
I keep it still on a deal is made.
May 16, 2013 at 12:47 PM
But BIBI watch your back this game can be played in 2 directions.
May 16, 2013 at 12:58 PM
Please understand that if we get it not done now, we just set up the stage for the future, is done before , look back at historic events when we sold out complete country’s because it was not opportune to do it in that time.