Russia's economy is based on the export of oil and gas. Russia supplies weapons and nuclear technology to Iran and Syria to create instability in the Middle East which in turn pushes up the oil and gas prices. Plus they get some nice pocket money from the weapons sales.

Giora Eiland should be our foreign minister and Lieberman should be out. I thought Yvet went to Russia because he understood them. Evidently they understand him very well...like most of the world...and don't like him or us

Well, I do have another tak for Mr. Eiland: why not involve India and China with the Israeli moves?! After all, China is a bona fide growing Super Power which has lot more in common with Israel (see recognition of some lands, Muslim insurgency....) and with India the largest Democracy in our littlr planet (with its internal Muslim ptoblem, recognition of some legitimate lands...) and a growing of a sophisticated technological huge Nation? Let's make a vow: Never again the West!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1] attitude mainly because we are arrogant. 2] Get Russia involved as a counter balance to depending only on the like of Obama administration. 3] we have so many of Russian origin.

regardless of this 2004-Gaza-disengagement-decision-advise-not-asking-of-Russia tingy. I'd say there are some kind of other forces at play unbeknown to us. Woo, spooky. Bottom line, do not worry, Russians will survive the neglect. Just pay enough.

What was the reason then for Brezhnev and the Soviets to support actively the Arabs armies against Israel in every war? Abbas earned a doctorate in history - (denying the Holocaust) from Moscow's Oriental College;- the Russians always support the Arabs as Communists and non-Communists alike. Please stop the revision of History for there are many living people who are perfectly acquainted with the Soviet-Russian politics and behavior. Lastly, name a nation which lived under Soviet-Russian domination and still has a positive opinion on that vast country. There is none.

Is Russian pride more important than the over One Million Russian's lives they are placing in harms way? The answer is simple they are glad they left Russia, they never considered them pure Russian's just at Hitler did not feel the German Jews were German's. The Russian Government want instability anywhere that it will hurt the USA because of pride and actual lives have no meaning to the Russian Government just as Hamas, Hezbilah and other Islamic Terror Organizations show they place no value on life either.

The purchase of F-35's should be shelved. It is not going to be productive to pursue US defense contracts with a Muslim in the white house. It would have been much better to negotiate the price of SU-35's. These are also fifth gen fighters, and at half the price. These would come with much improved relations with Russia, as well as a bargaining chip against Syria, and possibly Iran. i.e., Anyone who says "Money can't buy friendship", has never been to Moscow. Spending money in Moscow -is- going to help. Obama is the biggest liar in history. With Israel spending money in the US, he is going to have things tied up until the last day he is in office. Obama is not going to ship even one box of MRE's to the IDF. For Israel, it is time, money, and opportunity wasted. Talks should have begun the FIRST time he denied an Israeli purchase. But the stupidity in Israel says, "Oh, there has been a de facto embargo against Israel since Jan. 20, 2009, so our response should be, uh, reward Obama, and beg for an over-priced F-35 that he's never going to deliver. The bonus is the Arabs will laugh at us, and Moscow will sell them weapons, specifically because we didn't even look at the weapons they are selling." It is not tit-for-tat punishment, selling weapons to Syria and Iran. Not at all. They have weapons, they want to sell. If WE don't buy them, Russia simply sells to the next party.

like cossacks warning jews to not annoy them as if this were possible!

I think Mr. Eiland makes a very fine point here. I think it would a fatal move for Israel to ignore another alternative especially with a hostile President in America. Russian's don't like Muslims/Arabs any more than they like Jews. With that in mind I don't think it would be wise to be dependent upon the Russians either because they would not hesitate to throw Israel under the bus.

The logic is that every Israeli move needs prior approval from Russia, the EU and the UN. Please let's be reasonable. Russia has never asked Israel about its policies in the ME and has no right to ask Israel to consider its desires.

Who do you know who wont sell off any highly sensitive material, damn, they cant even trust one another as to why so many opposition in prison. Russia can never be trusted and will regret ever selling weapons to these gangsters as they will come right bak to haunt them as seen recently. Russia should just mind its buisness and take advantage and get their house in order cause I'm sure that the muslims aint finished yet

when russia,china and the arab alliance invade ISRAEL then you will know,here we go.we continue to dance and play with the devil.old people say when you play with big dog,it will bite you.i am not surprise with these developments.politicians are not taking heed to what the HOLY BIBLE SAYS,america and england and the un are not.EZEKIEL 38-Thus saith the LORD GOD;Behold,i am against thee,O GOG,the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal-----.Its a false sense of security to be dealing with Russia.YE he ISRAEL GOD'S WORD is truth and will not lie.America and ENGLAND it seems like we forgot the pass,we think that the cold war is over,it ent.A false sense of security.

and the blame Israel first crowd is happy to oblige, not having clear boundaries. it's a sickness, Oslo syndrome, Stockholm syndrome or whatever you call it.

about anything else. We all know that.

I realize American logic twists every thing to fit the American propaganda image it has of Russia and so Russia is a super power but still Syria is a backwards country hardly capable of using sophisdicated Russian military equipment which Russia sells it which has bankrupt Syria already which means it has no money to pay its own military where as Israel forces have money not a lot but some thus Syria still lacks the ability to wage war except as a guerila force like Hizbulah did in 2006 in any case America lies steals cheats crys wolf Russia is more a lamb sheep than a wolf it is America that is the wolf not Russia right RIGHT this wolf has cheated atacked me 66 years it may pay dearly for it if I ever get the miracle I need luckily America does not understand what I am talking about I am not exactly going to educate and so enlighten America quite the contrary I will play long let America think me the fool then strike when I am ready leaving no trace to lead America to me I tell Arabs Jews this so you may have hope I may save you RIGHT ??? Thank You... M. S.

Russia is also an empire that should be broken up into smaller, more manageable ethnic countries.

Nice article. But I'm not so sure that Russian arms sales have anything to do with superpower status and the US Israel zionist consensus, but more the opportunity to make money. When the US unconditional support for the Israeli occupation and settlements alienates more and more states that could provide a market for US arms sales, then the Russians are only too willing to fill the vacuum.

Is that Russia continues to help build the Iranian nuclear program and continues to arm Syria (now with advanced weapons) and Hezbollah. I am sorry if it annoys Russia that Israel objects to advanced arms going to people who want to obliterate it, but as long as Russia continues to do this, it will have zero influence with Israel and the west CANNOT TRUST the Russians' influence in middle eastern affairs.

israeli export.. India became our second export market from eighth, China climbed to 5th place from 11th.See, we are not that stupid.

Israel is showing the world the highest grade of dubblestandard. In 2008 Israel and USA happely provided Georgia with high tec weapons ( for cool cash ) despide Russia ask them not to, knowing there was a potential conflickt growing with Georgia. It took Russia less than a week to destroy all your high tec toy what a shoc for IDF and USA ) Now Israel is crying woolf because of Russian missiles to Syra - Things are just comming back to you,,,, and you earned and whatever you get - you have been asking for it.

All perenoi of Israel some what understanable but for so long and same tune frankly World is tired of listening anymore, Israel mostly new imigrants with uneducated past are responsiable like Bill Clinton said,let me ask my Jewish brothers WHO can you trust? and the ones we trusted in the past we are instantly made or trying to make enemies with like the Turks, I like to tell you as a Turkish-Jew all the Jews around the Wolrd had a home to go to beofre Israel was formed, that was Turkey, and look what we have done with that pure arrogance and missplaced loyalty, what did Turks ever do to us that we turned on them in siplit second, I tell you my Jewish brothers, World can be very lonly place if we keep on loosing friends, and if we keep on miss treat our friends like US, do you know how many Jewish spies in Jail in US?and people keep on talking in the streets about USS Liberty like it hapaned yesterday, never mind AIPAC or any other influence we have in US or in EU, just remeber this Politic in congress that doesnt mean they go home with same thoughts as they do in congress, any weak spark we would not know what hit us and we all know how quick that spark can come, I think we need all the friends we can have and lets start with making our friendship with Turks again. we never know when we would need them again I hope not but you never know? Shalom

All peace plans - American, Russian, European - are based on the desintegration and humiliation of Israel. Russia will never become our friend because a third of her population are Muslims. Russia's participation in the talks will make them more difficult, it may be a single positive factor. But to use it we must have diplomats more skillful than our peace-loving Defence Minister with his Dawn-sickness smile.

When Russia see Barak, and before him Omert, they know they have deal with this dudes. Russia is essentially a Muslim country. Yes Muslims ouside the city of Moscow.

Its history, mentality and culture are intertwined with hatred of Jews. It is very dumb and naive to apply to Russia a different perspective. Israel has to be very mindful of the Russian bear and never expect anything good from it.