In Moscow, Liberman says Russia ‘understands our security needs’

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman meets with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in Moscow, telling him that Israel “appreciates Russia’s understanding of our security needs” during a discussion about Iranian entrenchment in Syria.

The two defense ministers and their teams spoke for over an hour and a half, Liberman’s office says.

“It is important to continue the dialogue between us and to keep an open line between the IDF and Russian army,” Liberman says.

Israel is working to convince Russia to rein in its ally Iran in Syria and prevent the Islamic Republic from setting up a permanent military presence in the country — something Jerusalem has vowed it will take military action to prevent.

Israel demands the removal of all Iranian military forces and their proxies from all of Syria. Russia, meanwhile, appears prepared to limit itself to keeping Iran-allied troops away from the Golan border and not to interfere in Israeli air force raids against Iranian targets in Syria.

— Judah Ari Gross