Opinion  Ron Ben-Yishai
Russia's rebuke of Israel's Syria strikes wasn't mere lip service
Ron Ben Yishai
Published: 24.01.19, 14:30
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20 Talkbacks for this article
1. It's idiotic to call our survival "interest", as if we're
(01.24.19)
vying for commercial or political advantages!
Russia or Prussia: there's no 'give and take' when it comes to Iran.
That much is hopefully clear even to zilches like Gantz & Co.?!
2. RUSSIA
HERMAN ROSEN ,   HOLLAND   (01.24.19)
THE RUSSIANS SHOULD GET THE IRANIANS OUT OF SYRIA..AS
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO..A WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND
IRAN IN SYRIA IS A NIGHTMARE FOR ASSAD AND PUTIN
AND TRUMP..WHO IS DEATHLY AFRAID OF THE RUSSIANS
TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND RUSSIAN ARE ESSENTIAL
THE ISRAELIS WILL NEVER BE AFRAID TO RESPOND TO AN
IRANIAN MISSILE ATTACK ..THANK GOODNESS TRUMP WAS NOT
ALLOWED TO GET U S TROOPS OUT..LIKE HIS BUDDY WANTED
3. Key-words: ‘making itself’ means it anything but....!!!!
(01.24.19)
4. Except that Russia is not much of a Superpower in ME
Steve Benassi ,   Minneapolis USA   (01.24.19)
5. The great weakness in the Israeli side is the reluctance to
Tehraniporou ,   Chutzpah united   (01.24.19)
Send shaked in underwear to negotiate from a position of force. Everyone listen to its mistress!
6. Interests
barry ,   TLV   (01.24.19)
If we use that term Russia is not alone , the EU US and Gulf states plus Israel have a "say" in this "backyard" , So Russia will have to tune to other "melodies" some of which come out from "Important performers"
7. !! Author is Way Too Jaunty and Jaundiced
Setmose ,   Jerusalem   (01.24.19)
It is true that Russia is the sole remaining superpower in the Middle East. But that doesn't resolve into some Kissingerian exercise in balance between local powers, like 18th and 19th Dynasty Pharaohs pacifying Canaan. Shiite Iran and Alawite Syria have existential enmity towards Jewish existence. Russia supported Syria (the same dynastic Assad regime) with massive airlifts when it attacked Israel on Yom Kippur 1973 (with the Shoa in the review mirror). A dictatorial Russia running the Middle East will go sideways very fast, and when Sauron (Putin) loses his ring finger, he will over-react in with aggression against Israel's patron USA.
8. Column list of pluses and minuses
Arnie   (01.24.19)
Russia needs to choose sides and if Putin does not go along with Israel then he will have no peace or quiet in Syria.
9. where's the US in all this? where's the 6th Fleet?
Rafi ,   US   (01.24.19)
Ask the impetuous IDIOT in the White House... who apparently dances to Putin's tunes.
10. Russia is not a superpower, US and China are. USSR is gone
Juha   (01.24.19)
Russia is not a superpower, by any stretch of imagination. Russia sits on a huge pile of nuclear weapons, but that alone does not make it a superpower. USSR was a superpower, but that country ceased to exist more than a quarter of a century ago. Russians can demand whatever they damn' well please, but that does so long as Israel has the backing of the US the Russian demands can be ignored.
11. ben yishai is a deluded beilinist, scared of his shoelaces
mark   (01.24.19)
Israel is not a pushover unless it acts like ben yishai--oh my god Russia! It has to protect its interests and it has to tell Moscow that directly. and it can enlist trump for whatever he might do.
12. m
moishe   (01.24.19)
granted you don't want to antagonize a bear but you must protect yourself if he comes at you. Israel will be more selective in strikes but will have to find ways not to antagonize Putin too much. Putin is a clever player. he does want some Israel action to show his wards they need Russian help. a region at peace is not in his best interests. he is a meddler.
bottom line is that the threat to Israel will get worse and some tough decisions will have to be made. a ME at peace defies history.
13. Russia is a circus, Putin, the ringmaster.
Helter Skelter ,   Down South   (01.25.19)
At the end of the day, it is highly unlikely Russia has a qualitative advantage over the other major power in the region, Israel. And Russia is overextended. It can not afford economically, nor one would think, domestically, to start getting its sons killed on the barren steppe of the Syrian plains. Putin wears a poker face and plays his cards very well but his bark is worse than his bite. Perhaps a causal nod to Mr. Obama, if Obama's intention was to allow Putin to inherit a mess, America's first black president succeeded in his intention.
14. IAF/IDF destroying Russian equipment for decades
Gary David Jacobs ,   San Diego   (01.25.19)
Russia limiting Israeli action? Sorry, but the IAF/IDF has been making Russian equipment look largely useless for decades. 1 f-16 shot down in what, 40 years? And even that was pilot error not paying close enough attention to the missile warning system.
15. VALDI FAKES SOME GESTURES TOWARDS THE NULLAHS AND ACTS
Iranian Jew ,   LALA LAND   (01.26.19)
Like he does not like Israel hitting them. In reality, he makes money each time Israel attacks. More hardware to be sold to the mullahs! The mullahs are also happen and will not move towards Iasrel at all. TI will be just like Iraq war. It is another chance for the mullah to cling on power with the excuses of the war. They will send their hired donkey’s once in awhile to create some friction so teh dumb masses in Iran will forget their hard lives for the time being.
16. Situation for Israel re. Syria remains COMPLEX & DANGEROUS
Rafi ,   US   (01.26.19)
Reality: Both Russia & Iran have coinciding interests in Syria (#1: keep mass-murderer puppet Assad in power...)

... and both are regional powers that have extensive military resources that can be used against Israel...

Unless the US brings its major power to bear, the path for Israel in this dilemma will not be easy ...
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