Russian President Vladimir Putin met Israeli prime minister in moscow while Putin has reserved judgement on Middle East plan.
Putin tight-lipped on plan criticised by Palestinians as he becomes first leader to meet Netanyahu after deal announced.
The Israeli prime minister visited Moscow on Thursday to discuss United States President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan and take an Israeli woman, who had been jailed in Russia, back home.
Benjamin Netanyahu made a stopover in Moscow after visiting Washington, where Trump unveiled his long-awaited Middle East plan on Tuesday.
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Trump’s plan envisions a disjointed Palestinian state that turns over key parts of the West Bank to Israel.
It sides with Israel on key contentious issues that have bedevilled past peace efforts, including borders and the status of Jerusalem and Jewish settlements, and attaches nearly impossible conditions for granting the Palestinians their hoped-for state.
Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin as they sat down for talks in the Kremlin that he wants to discuss the plan and hear his opinion on it.
“You are the first leader I am speaking with after my visit in Washington for Trump‘s Deal of the Century,” he said. “I think there is a new opportunity here, maybe even unique opportunity, and I’d like to discuss it with you and hear your insights.”
Trump called his plan a “win-win” for both Israel and Palestine and urged the Palestinians not to miss their opportunity for independence. But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the plan as “nonsense” and promised to resist it.
Putin did not talk about Trump’s plan in his opening remarks, and Russian officials so far have refrained from comment a careful stance reflecting the Kremlin’s desire to maintain warm ties with Israel and its hopes for a rapprochement with Trump’s administration.
The Israeli leader’s visit comes a day after Putin pardoned 26-year-old Naama Issachar, who was arrested in April at a Moscow airport, where she was transferring en route from India to Israel.
Russian authorities said more than nine grams of hashish were found in her luggage. She was convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
Putin asked Netanyahu to give his regards to Issachar and her mother.
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“I would like to thank you on behalf of all the people of Israel for granting a pardon to Naama Issachar,” Netanyahu said. “This moves all of us and our gratitude is on behalf of all Israeli citizens, from the heart.”
He added that Russia-Israel relations are now “the best they have ever been”.
Issachar got on the plane with Netanyahu and sat with him and his wife on the way home.
Russian President Putin meets Netanyahu, reserves decision on Middle East plan.
