Russia summons Israeli envoy for clarifications on Damascus airport strike

Deputy foreign minister says Moscow not satisfied with Jerusalem’s explanations of Friday attack that shut down air traffic

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister has summoned Israel’s ambassador, Alexander Ben Zvi, to express Moscow’s concern over a strike on Damascus International Airport last week that was widely attributed to Israel.

According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Mikhail Bogdanov told Ben Zvi that Moscow is not pleased with the justifications offered by Israel thus far, and that it is waiting for additional clarifications “within the framework of the existing Russian-Israeli mechanism to prevent dangerous incidents in Syria.”

The attack damaged the runway and airport buildings, and disrupted the flow of humanitarian supplies to Syrian civilians, said Russia.

Bogdanov also stressed that Russia will not allow Syria to be turned into a theater of war between outside parties, and insisted that Israel respect Syria’s territorial integrity.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Over the years, Israel has repeatedly charged Iran with smuggling weapons and missile-improving systems from Tehran to its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah using flights via Syria.

Generally, relatively large weapons are thought to be smuggled via Syria on Iranian cargo airlines, which frequently land at Damascus International and the Tiyas, or T-4, airbase, outside of the central Syrian city of Palmyra. The weaponry is then believed to be stored in warehouses in the area before being trucked to Lebanon.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/russia-summons-israeli-envoy-for-clarifications-on-damascus-airport-strike/