Netanyahu, who won the Israeli elections, previously emphasized his special relationship with Putin. The closer military cooperation between Iran and Russia makes the relationship more difficult than before, estimates the professor of Middle East studies.
In Israel, the Likud party and Benjamin Netanyahu led by the right-wing bloc won the parliamentary elections held on Tuesday. Netanyahu has been the prime minister of Israel for a total of 15 years. That makes him the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s history.
This was also emphasized by Netanyahu in his election campaign, says a senior researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute Timo R. Stewart To .
– Netanyahu likes to present himself as a safe alternative who knows how to manage foreign policy and gets along and gets things done with partner countries.
Russia is one of these partners. The two countries’ close relations have become strained since Russia launched its major invasion of Ukraine in February.
Israel has tried to act as a so-called neutral state, and has not taken a strong stand for Ukraine.
Stewart reminds that the situation is already familiar from previous years, when Russia started the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Netanyahu was prime minister at the time.
– Israel also complied [Itä-Ukrainan sodasta] detached and continued close relations with Russia mainly because Russia was also present in Syria.
Even in the early stages of Russia’s major offensive that started this year, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi thanked Israel for mediation efforts (you will switch to another service). Since then, the voice in the clock has changed, and Ukraine has been demanding more and more forcefully from Israel for help for air defense (you move to another service).
– Israel has found itself in a difficult situation where everyone is criticizing it, says the professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Helsinki Hannu Juusola To .
The relationship with Putin became a burden
Netanyahu, who has had a long career in politics, previously emphasized his good relations with the Russian president to Vladimir Putin.
The two met regularly and relations were good despite Russia’s close relationship with Israel’s enemy Iran, writes the political researcher Mark N. Katz an American think tank On the Atlantic Council page (you will go to another service).
The close relations between Israel and Russia are affected by both the large number of citizens of the countries of the former Soviet Union who immigrated to Israel and the countries’ cooperation in Syria.
Cooperation includes, for example, the coordination of actions.
Syria has become a regional stage of power struggles, where Israel is waging a so-called proxy war. For example, it aims to strike at weapons shipments sent by Iran through Syria to the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
Now, different winds were blowing in relation to Russia in Netanhaju’s election campaign. Netanyahu even promised that he will re-examine the Ukraine issue, Middle East studies professor Juusola says.
– That [hyvä suhde Putiniin] has become a burden in terms of foreign policy, Juusola states.
For now, it is impossible to say what Netanyahu’s election promise means in practice. However, Juusola does not believe in a dramatic change in the country’s foreign policy during the new government.
Researcher Stewart also considers it possible that Israel will continue its “policy of sitting on the fence” during the right-wing government.
Major changes in the war in Ukraine or in Syria, where Israel is engaged in a power struggle with Iran, could change the situation.
– In terms of Israel’s freedom of action in Syria, it has been essential that Russia accepts it, Juusola states for his part.
Critical voices at home and abroad
Critical voices have also been heard in Israel regarding the country’s positioning, although the criticism has not become a major domestic political issue.
– We should act according to our values: democratic countries in Europe and the United States oppose Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Israel’s former intelligence chief Amos Yadlin stated In an interview with Deutsche Welle (you switch to another service) at the end of October.
Until now, the aid has been largely humanitarian. In addition, Israel has sent helmets and protective vests to Ukraine, among other things.
Yadlin has long said Israel should do more to help Ukraine. The reason is that Israel’s enemy Iran supplies Russia with weapon systems.
A US think tank that observes the war Institute For The Study of War (ISW) (you are moving to another service) assessed this week that Russia’s dependence on Iranian weapons systems is likely to only increase.
The deepening military cooperation between Iran and Russia is problematic for Israel, says Juusola.
– It creates pressure in the direction that Israel should choose its side. It is clearly unwilling to do so.
Israel is America’s closest ally in the Middle East, but has not joined the US-led anti-Russian front. This has caused outrage in the United States. The pressure to choose a side may soon increase in the near future.
– It also depends on these mid-term elections in the United States, how much the United States has the desire and capacity to put pressure on Israel in this regard, Juusola says.
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Right-wing supporters are already celebrating in Israel – the country’s longest-reigning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is returning to power (November 2).