Netanyahu meets with Putin

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Moscow Thursday afternoon, and used Russian President Vladimir Putin’s greetings for Purim as a chance to blast Iran.

“I think you for your good wishes on Purim,” Netanyahu said alongside Putin before their meeting in the Kremlin. “Some 2,500 years ago in ancient Persia, there was an attempt to wipe out the Jews, which did not succeed, and which we commemorate with this holiday.”

Today, Netanyahu said, Iran – the continuation of ancient Persia – has similar designs: to wipe out the state of the Jews. “They say this clearly, and it is etched on their ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister continued: “I want to say clearly that Israel is today a state with an army, and we are able to defend ourselves. Extreme Shia Islamic terror does not only threaten Israel, but rather the region and the world. I know that we are partners in the desire to prevent any victory for Islamic terror, from any direction.”

In his comments, Netanyahu said that Russia has played an important part in the fight against Sunni Islamic terror represented by Islamic State and al-Qaida.

“It is obvious that we would not want that terrorism to be replaced by extreme Shia Islamic terrorism, led by Iran,” he said.

Netanyahu said prior to his trip that one of the main objectives of the visit was to relay to Putin Israel’s unequivocal objection to Iran gaining any kind of permanent military foothold in Syria in the aftermath of any accord that will be reached on the future of the war-torn country.

JPOST.COM