Secret visit of an Israeli minister to Russia: diplomatic games and ulterior motives

Israeli Minister of Strategic Planning Ron Dermer secretly visited Russia last week. Writes about this on November 10, 2024 The Times of Israel with reference to army radio. Dermer's office declined to comment to The Times of Israel on this topic.

According to media reports, Dermer discussed with the Russian side issues of a ceasefire in Lebanon, and Russia’s possible “role” in this. The Russian delegation has already visited Israel on October 24, 2024.

NAnews has already covered this topic – “Will they also send 2 aircraft carriers? “The Israeli government insists on Russia’s participation in negotiations on Lebanon, incl. and to “reduce US influence””

As told “Details” An Israeli Air Force plane flew over Poland on November 5, 2024. It was noticed by monitoring resources showing the movement of both civil and military aircraft with an active transponder, a device for identifying the aircraft by the air traffic controller.

The route of the aircraft with the call sign IAF266 ran over the countries of Southern Europe, passing Turkey, then the plane crossed the territory of Poland and turned east, heading towards Belarus.

At this moment, the plane's crew turned off the transponders, and the aircraft's destination remained unknown.

However, Polish media suggested that it could have flown to Moscow and expressed bewilderment and concern about the plane's course.

IAF266 – Boeing 707 tail number 272, owned by the Israeli Air Force. This aircraft is used as an aerial tanker and also functions as a transport aircraft if necessary.

What was that?

Israel continues to pursue policies that raise questions and confusion in international circles. The recent secret visit of Israeli Strategic Planning Minister Ron Dermer to Russia attracted the attention of the world community and became a reason for discussion. The visit, conducted, as The Times of Israel suggests, with the clear intention of “demonstrating Russia's role in resolving the situation in the Middle East,” raises increasing questions about Israel's real goals. In this context, it becomes obvious that a country that should be attentive to its strategic interests may “unknowingly” support the actions of Russia, which is currently, despite its aggression against Ukraine, trying to return to the international arena.

Secret mission: what was behind Dermer's visit?

Russia, which is active in Syria, according to The Times of Israel, according to Israeli diplomats, “can play a role in the peace process by preventing the rearmament of Hezbollah.” However, this move is puzzling, since Russia's influence in the region and on the main forces of the conflict, such as Iran and Hezbollah, is very limited.

Moreover, as noted Leonid Nevzlin the visit itself was carefully hidden from the public. This demonstrates that Israeli authorities are not sure how the international community will perceive this moveespecially against the backdrop of accusations against Russia for its aggression in Ukraine.

Quote from Leonid Nevzlin: “It is completely unclear why Israel believes that Russia can influence anything. Even Hamas, whose representatives regularly travel to Moscow, did not return hostages with Russian citizenship (although, according to them, they are constantly “working on it” – ed.) . Iran is also unlikely to change its strategy at Putin's request. And the Kremlin has even less leverage over Hezbollah directly.”

Why is Israel helping Russia return to international platforms?

The main question that arises from Dermer's visit is the motives behind Israel's attempts to enable Russia to participate in international negotiations and return to the international platforms from which it was excluded after its aggression against Ukraine.

Russia is actively trying to restore its position in the international arena. Despite its aggression in Ukraine, the Kremlin is seeking to strengthen its role in regions such as the Middle East and take advantage of the negotiating opportunities Israel provides it. Moscow is essentially trying to regain its status as a global player by trying to influence conflicts and settlements, even though it has no real influence on key elements of those conflicts.

Quote from Leonid Nevzlin: “In general, Russia, even if it wanted, would not be able to influence anything. And she doesn’t want to: conflicts in the Middle East distract attention from her own crimes in Ukraine.”

Israel continues to maintain contacts with Moscow, despite its actions in Ukraine. This approach calls into question why Israel continues to help the Kremlin find its niche in international forums from which they tried to exclude Russia due to its aggressive policies.

Why does Israel continue to support Russia?

The uncertainty about Israel's strategic direction is also evident in its relationship with Putin. One of the key factors, according to experts, is “Israel’s desire to continue to demonstrate its cooperation with Russia” on security issues in the Middle East. However, it is worth noting that the visit itself was carried out in such a hidden manner that it only strengthens suspicions about ulterior motives.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, despite the accusations against Russia, is still trying to build diplomatic relations with Moscow, showing that Russia remains a “big player” in the region. At the same time, journalists write that the Russian delegation already visited Israel on October 24. Sources note that this visit is not related to the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Why does Israel support the Kremlin against the backdrop of international sanctions?

Russia's inability to resolve real issues in the Middle East and its limited leverage are becoming increasingly apparent. But the Israeli authorities, despite all these problems, continue to demonstrate their cooperation with the Kremlin. It is important to understand that Israel also has strategic interests, and this approach may be part of a broader diplomatic maneuver aimed at maintaining the status quo in the region.

Table: Comparison of the roles of Russia and Israel in international affairs

Conclusion: Israel and Russia – a strategic alliance or a political game?

Ron Dermer's secret visit to Russia raises important questions about Israel's strategy in the Middle East. Despite the obvious limitations of Moscow's influence on key players in the region, Israel continues to maintain diplomatic relations with the Kremlin, which raises eyebrows in international circles.

The question arises: why is Israel helping Russia return to international platforms and continue its role in a policy that essentially has no real impact?

The only reason, writes Leonid Nevzlin, on which Dermer flew to Russia – This

“Netanyahu's desire to curtsy towards Putin. Show that he still considers him a “big player” in the region and in general, “another league.”

This is, of course, a terrible shame.

It is no coincidence that Dermer did not advertise his trip, and the Israeli Air Force plane even turned off its transponders midway to hide its destination.

It’s a pity that Israel has a minister of strategy, but no strategy as such. It would be better the other way around“.

Israel, trying to find a balance in relations with Russia, may unknowingly support the Kremlin’s desire to return to the international arena and regain lost ground. In light of ongoing aggression against Ukraine and Russia's attempts to divert the world's attention from its crimes, Israel must seriously reconsider its foreign policy and avoid further diplomatic mistakes.

On Ron Dermer's visit to Russia, which was hidden from the public (but became famous)there is not only geopolitical intrigue, but also questions about why Israel continues to support the Kremlin, despite its support for all Israel’s opponents: Iran, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, the Syrian dictator Assad, etc., and the aggression against Ukraine, which he condemned the entire civilized world, a topic covered in detail on the site NAnews.

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