Zeev Elkin, the Israeli co-chair of the Russian-Israeli Intergovernmental Commission, has told Sputnik that he sees no crisis in "official relations" with Russia in the wake of the trial against Naama Issachar, but urges not to underestimate resulting public outcry, which is already taking toll on bilateral ties
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) Zeev Elkin, the Israeli co-chair of the Russian-Israeli Intergovernmental Commission, has told Sputnik that he sees no crisis in "official relations" with Russia in the wake of the trial against Naama Issachar, but urges not to underestimate resulting public outcry, which is already taking toll on bilateral ties.
Issachar, an Israeli national with dual American citizenship, was arrested earlier this year in Russia en route home from India. She was found guilty of drug-smuggling and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. The penalty has been harshly criticized in Israel as "disproportionate" and as an attempt to gain extra leverage in Russia's fight against almost imminent extradition of its citizen Alexei Burkov to the United States, where he as allegedly wanted for hacking activities.
"No, of course, this is not a crisis in official bilateral relations. As the government of Israel, we are interested in continuing to develop as good relations with Russia as possible. I say this officially as a co-chairman of the Israeli-Russian Intergovernmental Commission," Elkin, a Russian-speaking minister of environment and Jerusalem affairs, told Sputnik on Thursday.
"On the other hand, it would be wrong to underestimate the change in the public climate in Israel in the last week, after this sad story with Naama Issachar and her conviction for a term that seems to all Israelis, and to us as the government of Israel, absolutely illogical and unjustified," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin have already sent letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to pardon Issachar and send her back home. The Kremlin has promised to consider Israeli leaders' request as soon as it is received via diplomatic channels.
