Russian President Vladimir Putin Will Hold A Meeting With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu In The Russian

Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th September, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Thursday.

The Soviet Union and Israel established diplomatic relations in May 1948, and then broke them off in June 1967. In 1987, consular relations were resumed, followed by the full resumption of diplomatic relations in October 1991. In December 1991, Israel's Embassy in Moscow and Russia's Embassy in Tel Aviv were opened.

Russia and Israel maintain an active political dialogue by holding regular consultations. The countries also carry out delegation exchanges at various levels. In April 2005, Putin became the first head of the Russian state to pay a visit to Israel. In June 2012, Putin visited Israel as part of a two-day middle East tour.

Netanyahu visited Russia 15 times: in September 2009, February 2010, March 2011, May and November 2013, September 2015, April and June 2016, March and August 2017, January, May and July 2018, and in February and April 2019.

During his working visit in May 2018, Netanyahu, together with Putin, attended a military parade dedicated to the 73rd anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in World War II. Netanyahu took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden in the center of Moscow, and in the Immortal Regiment parade. He held talks with Putin on the same day.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, as well as Israeli National Security Council Director Meir Ben-Shabbat and Israeli Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Zeev Elkin also attended the meeting.

During bilateral meetings in July 2018 and February 2019, Putin and Netanyahu discussed issues of cooperation in trade, the economic and humanitarian spheres, as well as relevant international and regional issues.

The situation in Syria became one of the main subjects of negotiation during the Israeli prime minister's brief working visit in April 2019. At the end of the visit, the Russian Defense Ministry hosted a ceremony, during which a "symbolic" transfer of Israeli Sgt. Zachary Baumel's belongings took place. Baumel had been missing since 1982 after a battle between Israeli and Syrian troops during the First Lebanon War. His body was found in Syria by Russian servicemen during the Syrian operation. Baumel's remains were transferred to Israel on the eve of Netanyahu's visit to Moscow.

In November 2015, Putin and Netanyahu held talks on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.

From March 16-17, 2016, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin visited Russia for the first time in his position and held a meeting with Putin. Rivlin also met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

On November 10, 2016, Medvedev paid a visit to Israel and met with Rivlin and Netanyahu. During the Russian-Israeli negotiations, the parties paid significant attention to economic issues. A number of bilateral interdepartmental documents were signed following the talks.

During his trip, Medvedev also visited the Volcani Center, the Agricultural Research Organization, within the Ministry of Agriculture.

Both countries' foreign ministries hold regular political consultations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Israel in September 2004, October 2005, September 2006, June 2007, March 2008, February 2009, June 2010 and July 2018, as part of his working visits to the Middle East countries.

From June 24-25, 2019, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev paid a visit to Israel. He met with Netanyahu and also took part in trilateral talks on Syria with the participation of then-US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat.

In February 2016, a delegation of the upper house of Russia's parliament, the Federation Council, headed by speaker Valentina Matviyenko, arrived in Israel for a working visit.

In June 2017, Israeli parliamentary speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein paid a working visit to Moscow.

Moscow-Tel Aviv relations were put to the test following the fatal crash of a Russian Il-20 plane in September 2018, for which the Russian Defense Ministry holds the Israeli Air Force responsible. On September 17, Syria's air defense system targeted Israeli F-16 jets that were carrying out airstrikes in the Syrian province of Latakia, but the Russian plane was downed by a missile instead.

The Russian Defense Ministry blamed the crash on the Israeli Air Force, claiming that the Israeli jets used the Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems during the air raid.

Israel denied the allegations and does not agree with Russia's version of events.

Russia and Israel have signed about 20 intergovernmental agreements and work to improve the legal infrastructure of Russian-Israeli cooperation. Israel is an important trade and economic partner of Russia, with actively developing industrial, agricultural, high technology and other ties.

In 2018, Russian-Israeli trade amounted to $2.7 billion, compared to $2.5 billion in 2017. Russian exports totaled $1.9 billion, while imports reached $765 million.

In the first six months of 2019, bilateral trade amounted to $1.2 billion � Russia exported and imported $832.3 million and $399.8 million worth of goods, respectively.

Russia's exports to Israel include mineral products, precious metals and gems, food and agricultural raw materials, metals and metal products as well as other goods. Imports are mainly represented by food and agricultural raw materials, machinery, equipment and transport systems, chemicals and other goods.

The joint Russia-Israeli Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was established in 1995 and the regular meeting of the commission was held in October 2018 in Jerusalem.

Humanitarian cooperation is an important part of the bilateral relations. The countries are involved in dynamic cooperation in culture, science, education, and tourism, which includes cultural exchanges, concert tours, exhibitions and festivals.

Russia and Israel are also stepping up their cooperation in education. A treaty and an agreement were signed between scientists of the St. Petersburg State University and Israel Institute of Technology, � The Technion� as well as between Moscow State University and Tel Aviv University.

A representative Israeli delegation took part in the World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Moscow and Sochi in September 2017.

The two countries are also developing cooperation in tourism. Over 380,000 Russian tourists visited Israel in 2018. This figure includes both cruise and "one-day" visitors, who came to Israel for a tour from such neighboring countries as Jordan, Cyprus and Egypt. Tourists from the United States account for the highest number of travelers to Israel, while visitors from Russia make up the second highest.

A large part of Israeli citizens, including those who stood at the origins of the Israeli state, have Russian roots. Over a million Russian compatriots live in Israel today, keeping the Russian language and Russian culture alive. Israel has 21 organizations of Russian speakers, numerous Russian newspapers, as well as 150 Russian broadcast and satellite television and radio networks.

Russia and Israel share the memory of World War II and the Holocaust, which resulted in the extermination of millions of Soviet Jews. Russia venerates the memory of Holocaust victims. There is the Museum of Jewish Heritage and Holocaust and the Memorial Synagogue in Moscow. In June 2012, the city of Netanya in Israel opened the National Victory Monument dedicated to the Soviet Army victory over Nazi Germany.