By Rudy Panko
It looks like Moscow hit an Israeli nerve.
Many thoughtful observers wondered why S-400s deployed to Syria didn’t vaporize Israeli fighter jets as they “flew over Lebanon’s Arsal Barrens, where both Al-Qaeda and ISIS are headquartered”, only to drop their payloads on Syrian Army positions inside Syria.
It’s because Russia didn’t need to (and also, no WWIII, please). Despite its best efforts — including sending special forces into Syria in order to “observe” terrorists fighting the Syrian Arab Army — Israel’s ambitions in Syria have been thwarted.
Don’t believe us? Netanyahu is flying to Moscow on Thursday to whine about big bad Iran and how sad it is that Syria isn’t a destabilized, “moderate” rebel-ruled hellhole — the perfect excuse for Israel to gobble up more Syrian land, in the interests of “national security”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to voice opposition to what the Israeli leader charged were Iran’s attempts to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria.
“In the framework of a (future peace agreement) or without one, Iran is attempting to base itself permanently in Syria – either through a military presence on the ground or a naval presence – and also through a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights,” Netanyahu told his cabinet in public remarks on Sunday.
“I will express to President Putin Israel’s vigorous opposition to this possibility,” he said.
Here’s Israel, a nuclear power with a modern, U.S.-supplied and funded military crying to Putin about Iran and how unfair it is that the international cabal that assembled to destroy Syria has failed.
Oh, and by the way — Israel has never denied that it periodically bombs Syria:
Netanyahu has said that Israel has carried out dozens of strikes to prevent weapons smuggling to the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah via Syria.
That’s nice. Too bad Moscow has repeatedly stated that Hezbollah has played a decisive role in combating ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria.
Israel has also found other creative ways of trying to impose its will on Syria:
Israel has been providing logistic support and medical assistance to opposition forces – including Jabhet al-Nusra terror organization – fighting President Bashar Assad.Israeli warplanes have repeatedly targeted Syrian Army positions under the pretext of preventing sophisticated weapons from reaching the Lebanese Hezbollah group.
It looks like Israel will have to stick with what it knows: slaughtering Gazans armed with rocks.
Thanks to Russia and Iran, “Greater Israel” is now a pipe dream.
Enjoy Moscow, Netanyahu!
