Before heading to Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded the "successful" cooperation between Russia and Israel since Russia became involved in the civil war in Syria, Israel's northern neighbor.
"It [the Russian-Israeli coordination in Syria] has been successful until now, and it will continue to be successful," Netanyahu said.
Echoing remarks by IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis on Sunday, Netanyahu said he was planning to discuss with Putin "Iran's efforts to turn Lebanon into one big factory for the manufacture of precision missiles aimed at Israel."
Netanyahu was being accompanied on his one-day trip to Moscow by Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin, and was planning to return to Israel immediately after the meeting with Putin.
Space and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis was named acting prime minister in Netanyahu's absence.
The meeting was to focus on recent developments in the region, with Syrian President Bashar Assad having regained control over large swathes of the country, in large part due to assistance from Russia and Iran. Israel has repeatedly voiced its strong opposition to any Iranian presence in Syria, particularly in the area along the border with Israel.
Speaking ahead of his flight Monday, Netanyahu reiterated his oft-repeated stance, saying, "We won't allow Iran to establish a permanent presence in Syria. We will not agree to it and we will take measures to prevent it."
Netanyahu and senior IDF officials have repeatedly warned that Israel will continue to take military action inside Syria whenever necessary.
National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat, who also joined Netanyahu on his trip, visited Russia three months ago with a delegation of security officials to discuss developments in the region. According to Ben-Shabbat, the Israeli officials discussed with their Russian counterparts Israel's opposition to an Iranian buildup inside Syria as well as Hezbollah's operations in the country and its attempts to procure long-range precision missiles.
Ben-Shabbat told government ministers then that the Russian officials had been attentive to Israel's concerns.
