Russian Ambassador Rebuked for Anti-Israel Comment

The Russian ambassador to Israel was summoned by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday for a rebuke over an unfriendly comment made the day before, blaming Israel for regional tensions, according to media reports.

Anatoly Viktorov told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that “the problem in the region is not Iranian activities. It’s a lack of understanding between countries and noncompliance with UN resolutions in the Israel-Arab and Israel-Palestinian conflict.

“Israel is attacking Hezbollah, Hezbollah is not attacking Israel,” he said, adding that Israel should not attack “the territories of sovereign UN members.”

The Russian envoy also suggested that whatever understandings with Moscow over Israeli airstrikes in Syria, existed, they have frayed:

“There is no way that we are approving any Israeli strikes on Syria, never in the past and never in the future,” he said.

Foreign Ministry Strategic-Diplomatic Department head Alon Bar told Viktorov that his remarks did not reflect reality and were at odds with what has previously been discussed and agreed upon between Russia and Israel.