TEL AVIV, May 6./TASS/. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his upcoming talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 9 "especially important" in the light of Iran’s Syrian activity.
"Meetings with the Russian president are always important for security of Israel and coordination between the Israeli and the Russian army," the prime minister told a weekly government session on Sunday. "But next week’s talks are especially important in the light of Iran’s growing efforts to create military bases in Syria aimed against Israel," Netanyahu said in a speech circulated by his Office on Sunday.
He said that in Syria, Israel has a free hand as to defending itself. "We [Israel] are resolute to stop Iranian aggression against us, even if it necessitates battle action. It is better to do this sooner than later, as the countries that had demonstrated unwillingness to act against aggression targeting them, had to pay a much higher price later," he said.
Israel "does not seek escalation, but is ready for any development of the events," the prime minister went on to say. Netanyahu said that "over the recent months, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been redeploying to Syria advanced weapons, including ground-to-ground missiles and Iranian air defense weapons posing a threat to Israeli warplanes".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in Moscow on May 9 on a working visit, the Kremlin said on Saturday.
"He was invited to [watch] a military parade devoted to the 73rd anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War," the statement said.
Apart from that, Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks on the same day.
On April 30, Putin and Netanyahu had a phone conversation and among other issues agreed on future personal contacts.