40 Israelis released after reported detention in Moscow airport over Iran war ties

At least 40 Israeli citizens were detained and later released after arriving in Moscow from Tel Aviv yesterday, the Foreign Ministry confirms, following a Russian report on the incident.

“Immediately upon learning of the incident, at the instruction of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, the Foreign Ministry acted both with the foreign ministry in Moscow and with the Russian embassy in Israel,” the ministry says in a statement.

“Following this intervention, the incident was resolved and the Israelis’ entry was approved. The Russians were made to understand that this conduct is completely unacceptable, and Israel views the incident with great seriousness,” the ministry adds.

While the ministry could not address other details of the detention, a source familiar with the details tells independent Russian outlet Mediazone that the travelers were interrogated by Russian security forces on suspicion of being involved in Israel’s war against Iran, and held for five hours without access to food, water, or restrooms.

Those detained reportedly included both dual citizens and Israelis without a Russian passport, and were demanded to unlock their phones. Security forces reportedly stressed to them that Iran is an ally of Russia and that anyone who is an enemy of Iran is “our enemy as well.”

The Israeli citizens were released only after signing documents stressing the “inadmissibility of violating the law” and warning against such violations, according to the report.