Netanyahu, Putin To Discuss Case Of Issachar Jailed On Drug Charges On Thursday - Minister

ST. PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2020) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss possible release of Naama Issachar, who is currently serving a sentence in Russia on drug charges, Zeev Elkin, the Israeli co-chair of the Russian-Israeli Intergovernmental Commission, minister of Jerusalem affairs and minister of environmental protection, told Sputnik.

On Thursday, Putin will make an official visit to Israel where he will hold negotiations with Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. On Wednesday, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said that Putin and Netanyahu would meet the mother of Issachar during Putin's visit.

"During the meeting, the leaders will undoubtedly focus on the regional agenda and humanitarian issues.

Particularly, you know, Israel attaches great importance to the humanitarian issue of releasing the Israeli citizen, who was sentenced in Russia. We hope that there will be a positive decision on this issue," Elkin said.

Issachar, who has dual Israeli-US citizenship, was arrested in April 2019 during a layover in Moscow while she was on her way to Israel from India. She was found guilty of drug smuggling and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. The penalty has been harshly criticized in Israel as "disproportionate," since the amount of drugs found was allowed for personal use in Israel.