Netanyahu, Putin hold cordial meeting in Moscow, with Syria at center stage
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu flew back to Israel on Thursday evening after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The Russian leader greeted the prime minister warmly, expressed best wishes for the upcoming Passover holiday and admitted that the situation in Syria is "complicated." On his part, Netanyahu thanked Putin for his support of a bilateral pension agreement and for the Kremlin's greeting to Jews worldwide ahead of Passover. The prime minister emphasized the need for maintaining the coordination between the two air forces, preventing Hizballah from obtaining advanced weapons, and preventing terrorists from opening a new front against Israel from the Golan Heights. The prime minister was accompanied by his military secretary, Brig. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, and the commander of the air force, Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, among others. The comments of the two leaders were posted on the Kremlin's website.