The visit of the Israeli prime minister to Sochi last week continues to be discussed both here and here. 

Indeed, such trips, meetings with foreign leaders, and especially with the leaders of major powers, are extremely important. In conversations face to face sometimes it is possible to agree in a friendly way, it helps in "chamber atmosphere" to promote important for Israel interests. 

But if this does not happen, when such friendly meetings do not bring the desired results (and perhaps even vice versa), then we have a problem. 

* * * 

For the fifth time, the head of the Israeli government flew to Russia to meet with President Putin. The topic of the talks was Iran, its strengthening in Syria and other regions of the Middle East. And, judging by the multitude of publications in the Russian media, "Netanyahu was depressed, one God knows what he was promised ... In Syria, Russia is openly cooperating with Iran and Hezbollah." 

Of course, the relationship between our two countries is very important. But we know that in everything that concerns Syria and the preservation of the Assad regime, subordinate to Iran, we have a clear conflict of interests. And we, the Israelis, it is important to get answers to the following questions: 

Does the head of government worry about our security and did everything possible to ensure that the pro-Iranian forces were remote from our borders? Or because of the many promises that were given to him in the past by the president of Russia, we have already missed the transition of the "point of no return" in the Golan, and now we can only see how Iran seizes control over Syria and moves giant steps towards our border? Will it not happen that tomorrow morning, waking up and looking towards Syria, we will see that Teheran is looking at us from there?

* * * 

But the commentators of the Russian media agree on what happened in Sochi. Here is what Andrey Kolesnikov wrote in Kommersant: "Can Vladimir Putin help Benjamin Netanyahu in any way?" No, no, if he wanted to. "Help could only be psychotherapeutic, that is, he could only listen carefully to his colleague. limit your influence in the region? .. "(the full text of the article can be read here ). 

And here is what the well-known expert, an employee of the Moscow Carnegie Center, orientalist Alexei Malashenko, said in an interview with the Federal News Agency: "What we promised them is God knows." It's clear that they promised something good and gave some guarantees, although what you are most likely will not read anywhere, because in Syria we, in fact, act in concert with Iran and Hezbollah. " And he added: "When Netanyahu talks about all these topics, it's also an impact on an intranational audience, an attempt to support one's own authority in Israeli society: here, I say, I take care of you in all directions, I guarantee security and for this I communicate in including with Putin. " 

And finally, Dr. Yevgeny Satanovsky, orientalist and close associate of Putin, who stated, speaking on the Russian First TV channel: "The Prime Minister of Israel gets a meeting with the Russian president at a time when he needs it. , no one, no one, no matter, it's in Novo-Ogaryovo or Sochi, where he will be appointed, he goes there. " 

Those who are not familiar with Satanovsky should be read here that he really thinks about the Israeli premiere. In an article published in 2014, he wrote: "Anyone who knows Bibi closely knows that he is a first-class liar, at the genetic level, and it is impossible to believe in any of his words." For good coverage in the press, mainly in the US, he will sell his mother, and all his promises before the elections, angry attacks on Iran and the Palestinians, like all his actions in the series "the enemy will never achieve his" are not worth a bit. " 

If this were said about our premiere in the US or Europe, who would not rush to protect him? But when it comes from the other side, then the attitude is different, more tolerant, more forgiving ... 

* * * 

Let's return to the questions that are really important. Is the situation on our northern border improving or deteriorating in recent years? Will the zones of de-escalation, agreed by Russia and the United States, serve to ensure security, and which, by and large, retain the Russian presence in the Syrian arena? 

It now seems that Israel, relying on the fact that Russia will restrain Iran in Syria, remains in a rather injured situation. 

Russia has its own interests. As we recall, its representatives vote in the UN Security Council and other international structures against Israel on almost all important issues.But let us also add that, as far as I understand, the expansion of Iran's influence in Syria is not good for Russia either. I have often heard from high-ranking Russian leaders that they would like to see Syria independent and secular. Given that Iran has been taking root all the time on the Syrian land deeper and deeper (as one can read here, for example), this scenario no longer looks realistic. 

Did Israel miss its only chance - to operate in the Syrian border area and conclude alliances there with a view to alienating Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian factions from the border because Netanyahu was carried away by pleasant meetings with Putin? 

It remains to hope that no. Because otherwise the real situation in the north of our country will change dramatically and become much more complex and dangerous than today.