The racists who hate all things Russia will say this is just
propaganda. In reality, I believe Putin will do everything in his power
to help protect Israel.
Don Hank
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Reuters
Russian President
Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met with a delegation of rabbis, led by Sephardic
Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, former Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Chief Rabbi of
Russia Berel Lazar, and rabbis of the Rabbinical Center of Europe (RCE).
"I follow closely
what's going on in Israel," said Putin during the long meeting, which was
held in Moscow.
"I support the
struggle of Israel as it attempts to protect its citizens. I also heard about
the shocking murder of the three youths. It is an act that cannot be allowed,
and I ask you to transmit my condolences to the families," added the
Russian president, in referring to the abduction and murder of three
teens in June by Hamas terrorists.
Rabbi Yosef began by
saying "according to the Jewish tradition, your leadership is decided by
the kingdom of G-d, King of the world, and therefore we bless you: Blessed is
the One who gave of His glory to flesh and blood."
The rabbi discussed the
ongoing rocket barrage on
Israel by terrorists in Gaza, a relentless assault that led to IDF Operation
Protective Edge being launched this Monday.
"This morning I
left the state of Israel, the state of the Jewish people. Several hours before
I took off for here, a rocket fell right near my home in the
capital of the Jewish people - Jerusalem," remarked the rabbi.
Rabbi Yosef added
"I don't need to note the panic that fell on my children and
grandchildren, who were forced to enter shelters despite having done nothing
wrong. It is difficult to describe the psychological damage caused to them. All
for the 'sin' of their being born to the Jewish people."
"Despite the difficult
situation, I left everything and came here, to ask that you, mister president,
act to fight against terror conducted in the name of religion," requested Rabbi
Yosef.
"There cannot be a
situation where people manipulate religion to slaughter innocents. ...I ask you
in the name of the people of Israel: please, bring an end to the
violence," added the rabbi.
A true friend of Israel
Putin responded to Rabbi
Yosef, asking him to tell Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that he is a true
friend of Israel and of Netanyahu. Netanyahucalled Putin on Thursday, and in
their conversation, Putin called for an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Rabbi Lau, former
Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi and current Chief Rabbi of TelAviv, spoke in the meeting
about his remarkable personal story as a survivor of the Holocaust who later
became the chief rabbi of Israel.
In this context, Putin
consulted with the rabbis on means of dealing with anti-Semitism, Holocaust
deniers and preventing historical revisionism.
Putin noted that the
meeting marks 73 years since the massacre of thousands of Jews in Sevastopol in
1942, remarking on the bravery of the Jews who fought against the genocidal
Nazi war machine.
"I remember
visiting in the Yad Vashem Museum in Israel, which doesn't allow anyone to
remain apathetic, and describes the horrifying atrocitiesthat
occurred in those days," said Putin.
The president added
"here too in Moscow the Jewish community established a Jewish museum that
gives a bitter picture of those awful years, and at the same time gives hope to
the Jewish people and the Jewish community throughout Russia."
The warm meeting with
the Russian president comes at a time when Israel is strengthening its relations
with several major countries.
On Sunday, Japan signed
an Industrial R&D Collaboration Agreementwith Israel, making
the Jewish state the first country Japan has signed such an agreement with.
Israel likewise signed a landmark bilateral trade plan with China in May.
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