Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog on Tuesday and discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries. According to the Kremlin, the two leaders discussed several pressing issues, including the issue related to the humanitarian sector. He further said that the two leaders also reaffirmed their dedication to growing comprehensive Russian-Israeli cooperation.
“Issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed, including in the humanitarian sphere, taking into account the rich historical heritage of Russian-Israeli relations. In this context, the presidents referred to the decisive contribution of the Red Army to the victory on Nazism and the rescue of the Jewish people from extermination during the Great Patriotic War,” the Kremlin noted, according to CASS Press Agency. The Russian president also recognized the positive role of Jews in the social and cultural life of Moscow.
Two leaders discussed issues related to the Jewish Agency for Israel
According to the Kremlin, the two presidents also discussed the circumstances surrounding the Jewish Agency for Israel – “Sohnut”. During the conversation, the difficulties of running an organization reflecting Jewish agency interests in the Russian Federation were discussed. Putin and Herzog noted that the relevant departments of the two countries will continue to serve as a means of communication in this regard.
Sohnut, which has the status of an independent non-profit organization in Russia, has been the subject of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice demanding the liquidation of the agency, according to a statement from the Basmanny court in Moscow. July 21. CASS reported. Notably, Sohnut is an international organization based in Israel that deals with repatriation to the country and assistance to returnees, as well as issues related to Jewish-Zionist education and world Jewry.
Israel-Russia relations
During the Cold War, Israel and Russia were at odds. However, the election of the more pro-Israeli Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the election of the more pro-Russian Israeli leader Ariel Sharon in 2001 marked a dramatic improvement in relations between the two countries from the early 2000s. At the same time, the installation of a direct and encrypted communication network between Russia and Israel was also agreed in order to improve communication between the Israeli Prime Minister and the Russian President.