Michael Curtis wrote an article titled Russia and Israel: A Beautiful Friendship?. American Thinker published it.
In it he reviews the relationship over the last 100 years and attempts to point out that it is warming up. I didn’t find it satisfying as a lot was left out.
But what I did find interesting were the comments.
@ mar55:
also they want arms deals with the arabs, who knows.
@ bernard ross:
Russia have sided with Obama in condemning the building in J&S for the settlers. Russia is agreeing with potus. I think the reason is: You scratch my back and I scratch yours. I’ll go with you in condemning Israel and you will refrain from condemning Russia about the Ukraine. The old alliances. The same old garbage.
My comment to Arnold is in moderation???
@ ArnoldHarris:
No doubt that Israel’s close relationship or should I say vassalage is am impediment for closer relations between Israel Russia and China.
What can Israel gice to either of those countries that they cannot already get without having to give anything away. We are too small for them to balance any pragmatic policies with Israel against mamouth financial and geopolitical interests in the rest of the ME.
Russia is finished and are only kept alive by oul and gas sales and revenue. They will never regain wither power of status they enjoyed before Yelzin.
All is not well with China either and how and whether to solve their structural problems will be determinative.
China cannot afford to lose existing jobs for their growing urban populations. It’s a daunting challenge where in the end they may fail.
Israel should seek to get what you can from all countries on a bilateral basis not by formal agreements.
Israel needs to take the positions that allow her Max flexibility and mobility.
@ yamit82:
That the Russians in fact do not throw their international clients and vassals under the bus is a key reason Israel should have closer relationship with Putin’s government and a much more distant relationship with the government of Obama and Kerry.
Another reason is that, irrespective of the politics and policies of whichever elected government takes over the USA for a tenure of four or eight years, this once supreme power is now a rapidly fading empire.
Conversely, Russia is now on the road to regain a goodly measure of their traditional international power, while the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization show distinct signs of being little more than modern versions of the medieval Holy Roman Empire. Russia, China and India are the great powers of the vast Eurasian continental land mass. irrespective of the Muslims that make up parts of the populations of these three great empires, none of them have any particular national interest in backing any or all the Arab states against Israel.
The time has come for Israel to spread its influence seeking and give positive signals to Russia, China and Israel that the Jewish nation and he Jewish state are looking for improved and closer relations with all three of those Eurasian powers.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
One thing about Russia they don’t throw their allies and vassals under the bus.
In politics their is no friendship but interests said De Gaul. That is why it is advised not to talk politics with friends who have different opinion.
Il receives year after year less for the 3$Bil since equipment is getting more and more expensive and IL is obligated to buy Made in USA. Some of these weapons may contain IL know how!!!
@ bernard ross:
Before 1967 Israel had no Superpower backer She played the field with whomever she could make deals and agreement with like South Africa and Romania and France till 1967.
We did much better both economically and diplomatically, Yom Kippur war changed everything and not for the better.
Israel receives about the same in nominal amts today as we did in 1967. But the dollar has been devalued since 1967 to the point that the same purchasing power of that 3 billion or so is reduced to slightly over a billion in today’s dollars and each year it becomes less.. We have sold our souls for a bout a billion dollars!! Insane.
I think not!
I see individual deals, and mutual interests being served but I also see that where these interests collide with Israels enemies that russia so far tends to choose them. After all, they probably have the potential to make a greater impact. Israel should exploit Russia just as Russia exploits Israel but Israel has a much stronger relationship to date with the american people.
Deals can be made, like at Yalta, but don’t wax romantic.