IDF delegation to Moscow after Putin demands clarifications on tunnel operation
President Vladimir Putin demanded to know why Israel launched its Hizballah tunnel operation at this time, during a phone call with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Saturday, Dec 8. That conversation was not exactly friendly, DEBKAfile reports. Netanyahu said he would send a military delegation to Moscow with an explanation. The delegation, led by Head of the IDF Operations Directorate Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, was due to fly to Moscow on Tuesday, Dec. 11, for a 24-hour stay and a briefing to Russian opposite numbers.
Some circles in the IDF high command were not happy with this concession to Putin’s peremptory demand.
- They remember how the Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Amikam NUrkin and other officers were grilled and treated like liars when they traveled to Moscow in the third week of September to explain how the Russian IL-20 spy plane came to be shot down by Syria. Moscow has never offered any apology for this affront.
- It is feared that the data Gen. Haliva offers Russian officers will be passed to Iran and Hizballah.
- Why send a high-profile military delegation to Moscow when the Russian ambassador or military attaché at the Tel Aviv embassy could have requested and received the same briefing?
The IDF officers’ arrival in Moscow will be greeted by front-page spreads on Tuesday’s local newspapers illustrating Hizballah’s claim that its rockets can reach every corner of Israel.
Yes, it is kind of odd that an IDF team would go to Russia to explain the timing.
Frankly, that probably means that is not exactly what will be going on. It seems likely this means there will be a two-way conversation and the IDF make-up of the team would imply that much of the conversation will be about coordinating or at least de-conflicting operations in the Middle East.
Going after the tunnels at this time would have to have been cleared with civilian authorities so sending a military team to explain a civilian leadership decision would seem to be an incomplete response.
Note also that for many, going to Russia to speak with Putin could be considered a status boost. Many rulers of small states would be thrilled to be able to say that they talked with Putin and that they were asked to send a delegation to Russia.
Net effect is that I’m not sure this is a dire and humiliating event from the Israeli point of view. Much depends on what is actually discussed and how the press covers it.
Why does Israel owe any explanation to Putin. I think too many countries take this little putz too seriously.
I agree with you. We owe nothing to Putin since Russia is under Iranian pay in Syria. Bibi cannot offer anything to Russia on par with the amount of money that Iran is paying Russia. Iran has told Russia that it will cut funding if Russia does not take a more aggressive stance against Israel in Syria. This delegation will be held prisoner/hostage in Russia in revenge response to the IL-20 incident until all of the Russian demands are met regarding this. This will be considered the same as what happened to the Ukrainian sailors that were taken prisoner/hostage in the Kerch strait. Bibi will be ruined by such an incident of sending our men into the lion’s mouth and cause a national crisis. I would not send any of our people to Russia for anything presently.
The IDF delegation will not violate the Russian border, so take it easy with those hostage-taking fantasies.
The reason for the visit is simple – it’s better to have understanding when Russia than not – it is more cost effective and also good for trade. If Israel needed to, it would destroy all Russian assets in Syria in 24 hours. But the cost would be incalculable and Iran would only benefit from that.
Your President is a simple Idiot..Why kiss your enemy’s ass..Wipe Hezbollah off the map,Putin is in league with them..What a fool
You are 100% right. Israeli leadership are fools and should be replaced. Putin wants to have Iran destroy Israel and all the Jews there. Nothing has changed since the Czars days.
Putin has Jewish friends. He is one of the few Russians who isn’t antisemitic. That doesn’t mean he is Israel’s friend – but recognize that he is motivated by great power rivalry rather than antisemitism.
I just finished reading Chimpanzee Politics by Frans de Waal. I am somewhat worried about the future. We, as a species, have nuclear weapons and chimpanzee brains. I don’t expect it to end well.
What do you think idiot? Putin is President of Russia spanning 11 time zones. Israel is about the size if New Jersey.
It’s better to talk peace than engaging in hot war, yes we all know that Israel will come out the winner in any war against Arabs but it will be at a greater cost this time, Netanyahu knows that and that’s why I consider him the bravest than all previous Prime Ministers.
Bibi turned Israel into a third world banana republic.
We don’t need to explain ourselves to Putin. Putin should explain himself to us on why he placed S-300s in Syria to protect Iran and Hizbullah. Putin is nothing but a terrorist in the same way that Obama was a terrorist for sending Iran a plane with $150 billion in cash. I don’t trust any of those leftist pieces of garbage.
When you use a strategic location to attack a sovereign state, you LOSE your rights to it. Syria did this, even using the pass to funnel tanks into Israel in the ’67 Six Day War on Israel.
Get your facts straight. Putin is having an effect, making you into an insipid puppet of despotism!
So scared of words.
So pathetic and weak.
Because ISISrael wouldn’t stop providing the heart-gobbling terrorists in the Stolen Golan with arms and comfort women.
The Mossad clown crew now censoring this web page probably got demoted after LOSING YET ANOTHER WAR.
Still zero for the millennium, losers.
How many times do you need to get your ass kicked before you realize that is the usual fate of DOGS?
weird how you Israeli became so arrogant , do you really think you can face Russians military size and resources ??? ,,, or do you think USA will make a war for you ??? i think enough is enough , couple of thousands stopped your Division 162 , and you named it the Division that run away from the battle…just read the book “34 days of war” to know where you idiots.
Bibi is acting like an abused partner trying anything and everything to get the partner to stop the abuses which only results in more of the same lies, deceptions and broken promises that continue with the abuses. It takes a lot of strength to break from such a toxic relation but it is well worth the effort in the long run. Putin is upset that Israel has found these tunnels which have embarrassed Hezbollah especially at a time when they are still needed in Syria and cannot afford to go back to Lebanon in case of a confrontation with Israel. Putin is planning on invading Idlib very soon and needs Hezbollah’s help for Assad to stay in Syria.
I believe Israel is being set up for a trap. Why does all of a sudden does Israel have to explain what she does what best for Israel when before she took the initiative to protect her own people no matter what Russia says. Israel can defeat her enemies
Putin “demands”?
Doesn’t make sense.
Putin can ask for a favor.
And then Israel can say you send a delegation to us and we will
decide what we want to tell you and what we want in return.
But not “demand”. And I agree with some of the posters, that sending anyone of any importance to Russia is risking their poisoning, kidnapping, “plane crash”, etc. and not worth it.
What’s wrong with Israel?? Sending high level officials to Putin! It should be the opposite, if Putin wants to know more, he should send his own delegation. If you show any respect to this man, he will take it as a weakness. Never trust this Putin.
How many times do you need to be defeated in wars before you learn? its like “whack a mole” he always keeps coming back.
Putin gives Netanyahu the BLACK FLAG on what is very crystal clear to Putin and the whole world – this Lebanon Tunnel Diversion is so very obviously a diversion from an in-motion triggering raid on IRAN
Putin just stood Netanyahu down from his oh so sly and wily rolling operation on Iran coordinated with Bolton and Pompeo and the REST of the Israel Lobby.
Netanyahu is a clear and present danger to America as well as Putin – Putin did exactly the right thing.
The plan is that the Israeli attack will be parlayed by Bolton and Pompeo into some sort of legitimization of Netanyahu/Israeli kinetic action on Iran – one hand washing the other and Bibi getting away with what he’s doing right now
Putin is having none of it – thus the explicit outing of Netanyahu’s rolling operation with all the other Neocon Mensch making this last chance lunge at Iran, and the humiliation to make sure the world gets the message as well – the out of his mind Bibi now suddenly facing a wrathful American public as they realize with the Mueller filing that Netanyahu ordered Mossad/Private Mossad fronts to rig our 2016 election, his conspiracy with Kushner over UN 2334, his orders to Mossad/Private Mossad Front BlackCube to run operations against Obama’s Iran team
Send the IAF reservist aircrews you called up home, Bibi, stand down, you’re all dressed up and got nowhere to go. Zugswang
America demands Netanyahu step down for the completed Mossad operations he’s ordered against America and her elections and institutions, presidents and presidential candidates – as well as trying to trip America into a war on IRAN he this very minute is engaged in doing
Bibi must step down or be removed by Israeli command
America doesn’t want and isn’t coming to the war Netanyahu and the Neocons are giving this time
Netanyahu gave a war and nobody came –
Putin high fives MsB
Since when do the children of God answer to Putin?
Did you see the STASI picture of Putin? His lower lip looks like a Botox treatment. LOL