JERUSALEM— ‘’Prime Minister Netanyahu very much appreciates the security coordination between Israel and Russia and the clear position expressed by President Putin regarding the need to uphold the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria,’’ reads a statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
The statement came after a joint press conference in Helsinki by the Russian President and his American counterpart Donald Trump s in Helsinki during which they both stressed their agreement on Israel’s security and the wider situation in the Middle East.
Vladimir Putin said that once Syrian rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship had been “crushed in the southwest of Syria,” both Israel and Syria should again comply with the May 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement.
“This will bring peace to Golan Heights, and bring more peaceful relationship between Syria and Israel, and also to provide security of the state of Israel,” Putin said, speaking through an interpreter.
“Mr. President (Trump) paid special attention to the issue during today’s negotiations,” Putin added. “And I would like to confirm that Russia is interested in this development and will act accordingly.”
On an official visit to Moscow last week, Netanyahu voiced his support for the 1974 Agreement as a tested means of restoring a peaceful border between Israel and Syria.
“We had no problem with the Assad regime; for 40 years, not one bullet was fired at the Golan Heights,” Netanyahu told reporters.
Iran’s military intervention in Syria, where it has supported Assad alongside Russian forces, began in 2013, bringing Iranian troops and terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah into close proximity with the IDF’s positions along the border.
During the press conference, President Trump said that Moscow “would like to do certain things with Syria having to do with the safety of Israel”. He added: “We absolutely would like to work in order to help Israel, and Israel will be working with us. So both countries work jointly for this purpose.”
Trump also added that “creating safety for Israel is something both Putin and I would like to see very much”.
President Trump reiterated his support for securing Israel’s borders during an interview with Fox News later in the day. He said the meeting between the two superpowers presented “a really good conclusion for Israel”.