Tensions between Tel Aviv and Moscow over Hamas invitation to Russia

Tel Aviv’s relations with Moscow are experiencing their worst crisis since 1973. The Israeli government is waging a bitter attack on the Russian government over the reception given to Hamas in the Russian capital.

Israel’s statement is extremely harsh, and for the first time since 1990, when relations between the two countries entered a phase of normalization and cooperation, they are at this level.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “Hamas is a terrorist organization that is worse than ISIS. The hands of senior Hamas officials are stained with the blood of more than 1,400 Israelis who have been massacred, killed, executed and burned, and they are responsible for the abduction of more than 220 Israelis, including infants, children, women and the elderly. Israel views the invitation of senior Hamas officials to Moscow as a shameful step that provides support for terrorism and legitimizes the atrocities of Hamas terrorists. We call on the Russian government to immediately expel Hamas terrorists from the country“.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed the presence of Hamas representatives in Moscow. She also confirmed that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baeri Kani is in Russia. Zakharova did not clarify the agenda and content of the negotiations between these delegations.

As the Russian state agency RIA Novosti reports, citing a source in the Palestinian delegation, among those in Moscow there is a high-ranking Hamas representative Abu Marzuk, and the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova reportedthat Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baeri Kani is also at the meeting site.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that during contacts in Moscow with Hamas it was discussed immediate release of foreign hostageslocated in the Gaza Strip. Statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published by Russian media.

Zakharova did not specify either the agenda or the content of the negotiations between the Russian government and the two delegations that visited Russia today for the first time since the start of a new war in the Middle East. However, she said Iran’s deputy minister, who is also head of Tehran’s nuclear negotiating team, met in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Galuzin.

Russia maintains ties with all key players in the Middle East, including Israel, Iran, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. She blames the current situation on the “failure” of US diplomacy and calls for a ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations to find a peaceful solution. It is noted that the delegation includes precisely members of the Politburo of the Palestinian movement. It is led by movement member Abu Marzouk.

Russian media also associate the deterioration of relations between the countries with a fact that became widely known just a few days after October 7. It turned out that Israeli instructors and mercenaries actually take part in hostilities on the part of Ukraine, being on the front line. This information became known after Israel urgently withdrew more than 1,000 of its troops from Ukraine. Israelis served as instructors, military advisers and fought against the Russian army.

“From an analysis of events, we know that a very large number of soldiers of the Israeli services and armed forces were on the territory of Ukraine. Some of them were instructors, others were directly in special forces, these fighters are removed and returned to their homeland,” – said Deputy Commander of the 2nd Army Corps Apty Alaudinov.

Previously, Russian officials stated that mercenaries, including from Israel, were fighting in Ukraine, but the presence of Israeli troops on Ukrainian territory was not reported.

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