Israeli PM Bennett, Russian President Putin speak for first time, agree to meet

Israel’s new premier spoke for the first time with his Russian counterpart on Monday and the two have agreed to meet soon, far-right Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office tweeted.

Bennett’s office said he thanked President Vladimir Putin for Russia's contribution to stability in the region and that the two spoke of the bridge between the two countries represented by Russian immigrants to Israel. Over 1 million Jews from the former Soviet Union have moved to Israel over the past three decades.

Despite the Israeli leader's praise, Russia has been widely criticised by rights groups and activists for its role across the Middle East. Amnesty International earlier this year said in its 2020/21 annual report that Syrian and Russian troops "carried out direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects, including hospitals and schools" in airstrikes in Syria.

Russian mediators earlier this year helped secure the release of an Israeli woman who entered Syria in exchange for two Syrians held by Israel. Bennett said he thanked Putin for Russia’s “assistance on the issue of the captives and the missing.”

It was the first time the two had spoken since Bennett took office last month at the head of Israel's new coalition government. After two years, Bennett is to step aside while Foreign Minister Yair Lapid rotates into the premiership.