Russia and Israel have never loved each other. Beyond the frontal considerations that many citizens of the former Soviet Union emigrated to the Jewish state at the time, two factors have always created friction:
- a latent but widespread anti-Semitism on the territory of the Federation
- the Middle Eastern policies of Moscow, already since the Cold War.
If the first factor affects little the pragmatic policies of Israel ever more inclined to protect its own security than its ideological virginity, on the second point the issue is more delicate.
Moscow has for some years intensified diplomatic meetings to reinvigorate relations with the Middle Eastern countries traditionally friends. Just think of the preferential contacts with Egypt, cooled by the time of Camp David, but that for a year have been enjoying more energy with the new Putin-Al Sisi axis. Moscow's Middle Eastern policy is broadening and, as in the past, it is not limited to the Arab countries. If the exit of Iran from the American sphere of influence in the 1979 ended up connoting it as a mentor of Tehran, today with a view to reintegrating the former Persia into the international community, privileged contacts between the two countries become fundamental for diplomacy of all the world. Given the link between Damascus and Moscow, we can therefore say that the Iran-Russia-Syria triangle, as well as being strong, has also become necessary for many.
It was perceived by Israel that in the Russian political and military initiative it perceived a great opportunity. Here is the summit to the Kremlin between Netanyahu and Putin that transposes the official statements on the prior awareness of the US and is identified as a meeting full of operational and political meanings.
Under the banner of mutual benefits, after two years an Israeli premier returns to speak directly with the "Tsar of all the Russias" bypassing prejudices and historical positions.
The meeting, in the air for a long time but organized quickly, takes the form of mutual aid, in spite of the clearance of a White House considered increasingly less reliable by Tel Aviv and increasingly weaker from Moscow.
The developments on the ground say it is long. The Kremlin has moved from a simple political aid to Syria to a frontline operational phase with heavy strategic remarks.
The Russian R166-0,5 vehicles (mobile headquarters) detected between Homs and Aleppo and escorted by the Navy Infantry BTR-82, show an achieved ability to establish communications within a radius of 1000 km, far beyond the simple defensive needs of the bases of Tartus and Latakia.
The deployment of the Navy Infantry (the infamous "Black Death", which has been strengthened for some time in a strategic function) confirms the strong attitudes to direct involvement of the Russians. The deployment of the 810th Brigade, part of the Black Fleet stationed in the Crimea, speaks clearly: in addition to the two battalions of "marines" and the artillery, the department has the reconnaissance battalion and the 881st Paratroopers, usually forerunners at more massive presences.
The theme was presumably at the center of the talks between Putin and Netanyahu, not coincidentally accompanied by the head of military intelligence.
According to a logic of intertwined interests and establishing a previous diplomatic never seen by Ben Gurion on, Israel accepts the direct interest of Russian forces and the opening of new scenarios for Moscow, but in return aims to order the North borders. Direct contact with Russia without going through Washington essentially guarantees Israel three enormous results:
- first of all the support of a militarily decisive subject in the fight against the alleged Isis and regional anarchy (factor most feared by Tel Aviv).
- secondly, the supervision of Moscow on its antagonistic partners in the area. On the one hand, Assad, the "most reliable enemy" of Israel, who in exchange for his own consolidation will be forced to cool down any anti-Zionist ambitions, including unconditional support for Hezbollah's projections. On the other, the monitoring of Iran, Israel's ontological enemy, especially after the controversial nuclear negotiations endorsed by Obama.
- not least, a big slap given to American diplomacy, with which the administration Netanyahu, which manages the coldest relations between the US and Israel since the birth of the Jewish state, takes off a huge stone from the shoe.
For Russia, the political triumph is enormous and mirrors that of Israel. Besides confirming itself as a global political power, it ensures a place in the sun also in terms of extra-regional military capacity. It did not happen since the days of communism.
As mentioned in previous articles the real losers are the USA, hostage of an administration undecided between the role of military superpower and that of a so-called ethical reference for an unspecified planetary pacifist thought.
