Netanyahu needs Russian voters to win Israeli elections next week

Vladimir Putin’s upcoming talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in Sochi are more important for the Israeli PM’s fight for re-election, but comparing notes with a key Middle Eastern player is also good for Russia, according to experts for the region.

When Netanyahu lands on Russia’s Black Sea coast on Thursday, he’ll do so with mostly domestic politics on his mind.

A snap legislative election is scheduled to take place in Israel on September 17. It was ordered when Netanyahu failed to form a ruling coalition after the vote in April, becoming the first prime minister in the country’s history to commit such a blunder.

Sochi was chosen as his destination because there are over one million [Israeli] voters who were born in Russia.

The fact that the Israeli PM is going to Putin, of all international leaders, ahead of a crucial domestic vote again proves that Russia is now a very important player in the Middle East.

The visit is taking place in the wake of Netanyahu’s controversial pledge to annex the Jordan Valley in the West Bank if he’s re-elected. The statement was clearly aimed at garnering support from right-wing political forces before the vote.

But the Israeli leader would still have some explaining to do in Sochi. What Vladimir Putin is likely going to tell Netanyahu in Sochi is: “Don’t annex the Jordan Valley.”

He pointed out that Russia maintains its neutrality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is now seeing the danger in instigating tensions from both sides, as this destabilizes an already explosive region.

Besides the mulled annexation of the Jordan Valley and Israeli-Palestinian ties, Putin and Netanyahu will surely be discussing such everlasting issues as Syria, Iran and other regional problems.

For Russia, Israel is an important partner in terms of information exchange and coordination during the ongoing Russian military operation in Syria.

Knowing each other’s stance on the key issues in such a turbulent region as the Middle East is important for both sides in order to be able plan their future steps more effectively.

RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2019.