Russia’s ambassador to Israel Alexander Shane on Tuesday told Israel’s Channel 1 News that Russia is taking into account Israel’s security interests, and promised that the Iranian army would not remain in Syria. He also said that it was preferable for Israel that Bashar al-Assad remain president after the war. The ambassador spoke ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Sochi.
“Russia always takes into account Israel’s security interests when it is conducting its counter-terrorism operation in Syria and trying to bring peace to the region,” Shane said, noting that “the Israeli government supports Russia’s moves in Syria, the Russian attempts to stabilize the region, and the cessation of fighting and the bloodshed in Syria in order to make it a democratic and stable country.”
Asked about the Iranian presence in Syria, the Russian ambassador said, “We agree that there should be no foreign forces in Syria, including the Iranian army. [But] at this stage we must support the peace process, the current government and the struggle against terror.”
So, who better to fight terrorism than the biggest procurer of terrorism in the Middle East, Iran, alongside its terrorist proxy, Hezbollah.
As for Russia’s support for Assad, the ambassador claimed that “there is no alternative to his regime. We spoke with all the opposition factions and there is no one who can replace Assad.”
He added that “as far as the interests of Israel are concerned, it is best for you that Assad stay because most of the opposition representatives are Islamists and they told us openly that the first thing they would do when they are in charge would be to declare war on Israel.”