Wary of Turkey and Iran, Israel tightens ties with Russia: What to know
Regional shifts, especially involving Iran, Syria and Turkey, are forcing Israel to reevaluate its complicated relations with Russia.
Concerns over Turkey’s expanding influence in Syria and deepening cooperation between Russia and Iran are pushing Israel to reassess and improve relations with Moscow.
Until the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, Israel and Russia had maintained close ties. Israel is home to more than one million immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and trade between the two nations in 2023 totaled $2 billion in Russian exports to Israel and $552 million in Israeli exports to Russia.
Strategically, from 2015 until the fall of the Assad regime, Israel and Russia operated a deconfliction mechanism that allowed Israeli jets to strike Iranian and other targets in Syria without interfering with Russian aircraft. This arrangement was a key factor in Israel’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine, as it sought to avoid provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin. Over the years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also cultivated a personal rapport with the Russian leader.
Relations deteriorated sharply, however, after Hamas' October attack. Russia criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza and repeatedly hosted Hamas delegations in Moscow. Meanwhile, Israel grew increasingly wary of Russia’s growing partnership with Iran, particularly its large-scale acquisition of Iranian drones for use against Ukraine and the signing of a strategic partnership treaty on Jan. 17.
