Russia denies asking 'Israel' to help Syria - reports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
7 Feb 2023 21:11
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A Russian official denied to Israeli media that Moscow asked the Israeli occupation to send aid to Syria after Israeli media claimed otherwise.

A member of Iraqi security forces walks past Red Crescent vehicles carrying aid heading to a plane of emergency relief aid to Syria to support earthquake victims, in Baghdad, Iraq, February 6, 2023 (Reuters)

Russia did not ask "Israel" to send aid to Syria, a source in the Kremlin told Israeli public broadcaster KAN.

Israeli KAN political affairs correspondent Amichai Stein said a source in the Kremlin denied that Moscow had asked "Tel Aviv" to send aid to Syria. "We do not need to ask Israel to help Syria because we will be doing that ourselves."

The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth website claimed that the Israeli occupation received an aid request from Russia to help Syria based on Damacus' request following the devastating earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey. Syria completely denied this claim.

A Syrian official source completely denied the claims of Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having received a request for aid from a Syrian official.

If Netanyahu ever received such a request, it is definitely from his allies and friends in ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra, among other terrorist organizations, the Syrian source said.

"The occupation is the reason behind the woes, wars, and tensions in the region, and it is the last party that gets to talk about humanitarian aid and help," the source added.

"It is disgraceful that Netanyahu is exploiting the catastrophe that hit Syria to mislead public opinion and cover up the occupation's expansionist and aggressive policies," he concluded.

A Syrian source previously denied to Al Mayadeen the Israeli claims of "Tel Aviv" having received a request for aid from any Syrian party.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Monday that he had agreed to a request from Damascus to send aid to Syria after the devastating earthquake that struck it.

On Monday, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, killing thousands, mainly in Turkey and Syria, and leveling houses and other facilities, including public infrastructure.

"It is disgraceful that Netanyahu exploits the catastrophe of the earthquake that struck Syria to mislead the public opinion and cover up the expansionist and savage policies of the occupation," he added.

Syrian sources also denied to Al-Watan Syrian newspaper the allegations of Israeli officials regarding a request submitted by Syria to the Israeli entity for relief aid.

Furthermore, the sources confirmed to the newspaper that everything published in the Israeli media "is not more than a propaganda campaign for its Prime Minister."

"How can Syria ask for help from an entity that killed and participated in killing Syrians over the past decades?" the sources asked.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in a phone call on Monday that Russian rescuers will depart toward Syria today in order to provide all required assistance and support following the devastating earthquake that struck the West Asian country and Turkey late last night.

"In the nearest hours, rescuers from the Russian emergency ministry will take off for Syria," the Kremlin said.

Russia's Defense Ministry also announced sending a team of military doctors to Syria to help the country respond to the humanitarian catastrophe.

"A mobile group of Russian military doctors has been established at the Khmeimim airbase and is in constant readiness to provide assistance, four blood donation points have been deployed, as well as a joint operational headquarters to coordinate the actions of forces and means involved in providing assistance to the Syrian side," the Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also instructed the commander of Russian troops in Syria to assist the Syrian authorities in dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake.

"Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has given instructions to the commander of the Russian group of troops in Syria to assist in eliminating the consequences of the earthquake that occurred on the territory of the republic," the Defense Ministry statement added.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad held a meeting with UN representatives and various NGOs in a bid to explain the impact of the unilateral sanctions that are drastically affecting the situation in the country and the humanitarian response to it.