Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia spoke by phone on Sunday for the primary time in weeks, providing sharply completely different accounts of what was stated in a mirrored image of the strained relationship between the 2 leaders for the reason that outbreak of battle between Israel and Hamas.
Mr. Netanyahu stated he was dissatisfied with positions that Moscow had adopted on the United Nations Safety Council and “expressed sharp criticism of the damaging cooperation between Russia and Iran,” in line with a press release from his workplace.
For its half, the Kremlin stated that the main focus of the dialog was on the “catastrophic humanitarian scenario within the Gaza Strip.”
Russia, a everlasting member of the U.N. Safety Council, on Friday backed a U.N. decision calling for a direct cease-fire within the Gaza Strip and stated america was “complicit in Israel’s brutal bloodbath,” an obvious reference to the greater than 17,000 individuals who the Gazan well being authorities say have been killed within the enclave for the reason that battle started. The US blocked the decision, arguing that Israel has the best to defend itself in opposition to assaults by Hamas.
Mr. Netanyahu’s criticism of Russia over its ties with Iran is, partially, a reference to the shut relationship between the 2 international locations fostered by the battle in Ukraine. Tehran, a principal backer of Hamas, has provided Moscow with 1000’s of exploding drones to be used in Russia’s battle in Ukraine.
Mr. Putin has referred to as the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel a terrorist act — and he reiterated that place through the name on Sunday, the Kremlin stated. Whereas his assist for Israel was initially muted, he has tried to protect working ties with the nation.
On the identical time, Mr. Putin has argued that the dominance of Western elites allowed for the disaster to occur within the first place. And state media in Russia has voiced assist for Hamas and undercut Israel. It has additionally denigrated america, Israel’s important ally.
“The Russian facet is able to present all potential help to alleviate the struggling of civilians and de-escalate the battle,” the Kremlin stated in its assertion on the leaders’ dialog.
Underscoring the layered nature of the connection between the 2 leaders, Mr. Netanyahu additionally praised Russian efforts to free an Israeli citizen who additionally has Russian citizenship from captivity in Gaza. Israeli authorities say that the Hamas assault on Oct. 7 killed round 1,200 individuals and round 240 individuals had been additionally taken hostage.