Moscow, 30 December 2022 (GNP): Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu as the Prime Minister-elect of Israel. His Likud party won a thumping majority in recent elections held in November.
Netanyahu is the first Israeli Prime Minister who was born in the country after its creation in 1948 and served in office for almost 15 years, the longest period in office ever served by any Israeli Prime Minister.
President Putin hoped that the new government of Netanyahu would work jointly with Moscow for the peace and development of their people and also for the volatile region of the Middle East.
Also Read: Pakistan, Morocco Concur to Deepen Security Cooperation in Navy
In the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, 120 members passed a vote of confidence on Benjamin Netanyahu for the formation of a new government.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, Tel Aviv followed a very cautious and selective policy about Moscow. With the fall of communism in 1990, more than one million Jews from the former Soviet Union migrated to Israel, thus affecting and changing both the demography and politics of Israel. According to the Law of Return of Israel, anyone in any country of the world with at least one Jewish grandparent is entitled to get citizenship of Israel.
Also Read: Pakistan, China researchers stress cultural, educational collaboration
The Russian foreign office reiterated its commitment to work for a balanced and peaceful Middle East with Israel.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also wished prime minister-elect Netanyahu his victory in November elections from his Twitter account. President Zelenskyy hoped for a victory over evil and surmounting common challenges that Kyiv and Tel Aviv face presently.
Israel only provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine despite the repeated from Kyiv for modern weapons and technology in their war against Russia. Tel Aviv, cautious of its bilateral relation with Moscow, does not want to disturb its relations with Russia.
President Joe Biden called Netanyahu his ‘friend for decades’ and expressed his resilience in working with him on a two-state solution for a viable and calm Middle East and the new emerging threats from Iran.