Nadezhda Kevorkova: ‘Russia has managed to harness Iran, Hezbollah, Assad and Israel to one cart’
What is behind the visit of Netanyahu in Moscow?
The Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu has visited Moscow recently. In fact, both sides are suffering similar problems: Israel, to put it mildly, is not treated well by Arabs and Iranians, and Russia – by the West. The media has not put much attention to the visit, so the details of the Russian-Israeli negotiations are known not to everyone. A journalist Nadezhda Kevorkova, a specialist on the issues of the Middle East, in her author's column of Realnoe Vremya explains in what games Russia and Israel are trying to involve each other in by such 'awkward' cooperation.
Why Netanyahu goes to Moscow
Two loneliness have met – tiny Israel and wide Russia. This cooperation cannot be called voluntary and achieved through suffering. Two major disturbers of written and unwritten rules turned out to be tied with one chain and with alien will.
Of course, Israel is still the main gainer of the American military support. But trusting and strategic relations between Israel and the USA of Barack Obama have been destroyed.
At the same time, without go-ahead of the USA Israel would never become friends with Russia. Because of this friendship, it is uncomfortable to everyone – Russia, Israel, official speakers, opposition speakers.
What construction is the USA making in the Middle East?
Behemoths of the Cold War want to believe that the American State Department is absorbed with painting the borders of Kurdistan and the dismemberment of Syria.
American strategy works the other way. Americans have skillfully distanced from Israel, from the responsibility for its anti-Palestinian policy, from its extremely negative image in the Muslim world. And pushed them in the embraces of Russia which, in its turn, received an unspoken American consent to the bombings of Syria, thus putting its reputation in the Islamic world at the level of Israel.
Israel has highly evaluated such help from Russia.
To pay pensions to Israel
Israel demanded for the vassalage with Russia and almost achieved that Moscow will pay pensions to Israel pensioners who are former Soviet citizens.
Russia does not promise such payments for Russian compatriots, except only Crimea. But to Israel – you're welcome. That fact was announced by Netanyahu in Moscow.
For Russia, it is a huge burden, especially amid the exacerbating problems in the economy.
Anyway, the pensioners in Russia will be amazed. Interestingly, since the winter, they have felt the reduction of pensions. It has happened without any explanations, people just got 700 rubles less. It is just $10-15, but a pension is just $100-180.
People in Russia are very patient. But they are also starting to think about where their chicken feed is going.
In fact, the Kremlin is offered to pay for the imposed partnership with Israel for which it has no money.
Who is afraid of С-300?
Netanyahu uses Moscow as the site for announcements. Israel Prime Minister has no other place to go, as well as the Russian President.
Netanyahu has been saying all the same ritual phrase that C-300 are not to hit Hezbollah. It is clear that the concerns are false.
For half a year since the bringing Russian troops to Syria, even a visibility that any missile defense complexes would be given to anyone has dispelled.
Russia has long been promising them to Iran. Iran in mockery shows at parades a dummy of С-300 complex.
How to trade with Israel
Russia uses Israel each time when it wants to pressure Iran. Then Iran hits weapons storages of Hezbollah. Nobody made usually silent Israel militaries say that. In the background of Netanyahu's visit they loudly announced that yes, it is they who is bombing Hezbollah.
The bombings are not so fatal. Hezbollah can hide its ammunition and do it better than anyone in the Middle East for the last 30 years.
But such statements – hidden threat of Moscow for Tehran. No more and no less. After all, Iran has not agreed from Moscow request to decrease the oil production, actively takes advantage of the regime of the lifting of sanctions and does not bother about low oil prices.
Friendship against whom?
Moscow commentators incessantly praise the decision of Russia to invade Syria. At the same time, they are silent about truly amazing achievement – about the fact that Russia has managed to harness Iran, Hezbollah, Assad and Israel to one cart.
Here everything tells about that it is imposed by its participants. At least, Russia, in order to accommodate the construction, for some reason sacrificed all its previous reasoning.
Thus, Iran has long wanted an alliance with Russia. But Russia treated arrogantly its offers. And signed sanctions against it.
Assad wanted an alliance with Russia. Russia rushed to the rescue neither 10 years ago nor 5. And didn't help to remove the stigma of 'the axis of evil'.
What Iran and Hezbollah didn't want at all – it is to be an ally of Israel in Syria, and especially so that it would be known.
Russia benefited from the alliance with Turkey – but it has destroyed it. What is more, Russia has created a coalition against Turkey for some reason.
Is it all the strategy of Moscow? Unlikely, since Moscow has no strategy after 1991 in this direction and no benefit Moscow can take from it.
It is difficult to understand strange new connections if not to take into account the obvious fact that the USA is striving to weaken and eliminate the power of Erdogan group using others. The anti-Turkey coalition welcomes everyone.
The only element that has fallen out is Iran. Tehran announced that it will replenish all gas and oil losses of Turkey after Russian withdrawal from the market. And that Turkey, Iran and Syria will solve all their problems. That is, Iran refuses to act together with Russia against Erdogan.
Who will solve the Golan Heights issue
The most interesting thing in the announcements of Netanyahu in Moscow concerns Golan Heights. Not that Golan Heights will belong to Israel – he himself doesn't believe in it – is important. It is important that the USA government suddenly reminded of Golan Heights occupied since 1967. They declared that it's time to take them back to Syria.
Already no one believes that the USA had something against Assad. But now, instead of tearing the country to pieces, they promise to help to return the main strategic bridgehead.
If you have ever been in Golan, you will understand that you can lose them only in the case of a betrayal.
The Syrian Army has lost them. It would be impossible without a double game of the USSR. In his time, General Gorbachev flew around Golan Heights by plane – the former Soviet Officer wanted once again to make sure that there had been a betrayal.
So, Netanyahu was right choosing the audience when he reminded of Golan Heights in Moscow. He gave back, so to say, a ball. But today, the level of decision-making of Moscow and Tel Aviv has lowered significantly.
Washington by the mouth of Henry Kissinger a few years ago declared that the existence of Israel is not viewed by 2023. Golan Heights are not important in that case…
While 2023 still is a long prospect, Russia is saving Israel, buys it agriculture products from which the world refuses. And Israel saves become scarce Russian market.
For a mutual benefit, Israel supplied details for drones for Russia. Now Americans have banned these supplies. In Moscow they decided how to solve it. When the third party does not allow to trade with iron, and they are afraid to disobey it, it is difficult to talk about independent foreign policy.
The Golan Heights issue will definitely be solved. Without the participation of Israel, Russia and even Syria.
Reference
Nadezhda Kevorkova is a Russian journalist.
- She has worked as a reporter in Egypt, Sudan, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, Cuba, and in the republics of the North Caucasus, Tatarstan, and in the Far East.
- In 1998, a special correspondent of Nezavisimaya Gazeta in the USA.
- In 2001, after an invitation from US State Department, Kevorkova visited a number of states, including Alaska.
- In 2008, As a correspondent of 'Gazeta' she reported from Indian settlements in the US.
- As a war correspondent, she covered the Arab Spring, military and religious conflicts, and the anti-globalization movement. She covered the 'Gaza Freedom Flotilla' in 2008, 2010 and 2011; she also visited Gaza several times during the blockade.
- In 2010, Kevorkova was nominated for the 'International Women of Courage' award.
- She has worked at RT since 2010, before which she was a special correspondent for Novaya gazeta, Nezavisimaya gazeta, and Gazeta. She is the author of the articles in Gazeta, Ogonek, Russian Newsweek and other media.