Israel rejects Russian offer to keep Iranian forces away from Israel's border

JERUSALEM - Israel rejected Monday a Russian offer to keep Iranian forces 100 km from the disputed border between Syria and Israel, local media reported.

Israel insists that Iran not be allowed any military foothold in Syria, said a senior Israeli official, quoted by Haaretz newspaper.

Israel wants "to keep its freedom of action" in carrying out attacks on Syria, the official added.

The report came after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in his Jerusalem office with a Russian delegation, led by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov.

The meeting was also attended by Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot.

"The removal of Iran should include the removal of long-distance weapons, the cessation of production of precision weapons, and closing the border crossings that allow smuggling of these weapons to both Lebanon and Syria. Russia has certain capabilities to prevent this. They are a significant factor within Syria," said the official.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office did not comment on the remark but said that "Iran and the situation in Syria were discussed" at the meeting.

The office released a statement saying that Netanyahu hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump for their commitment to Israel's security during their summit in Helsinki last week.

"I appreciated the words that were spoken by President Putin together with President Trump regarding the security of Israel during the recent summit," Netanyahu said.

"The link between us is extraordinarily important and it exists, as you have seen, in the direct meetings between myself and President Putin and between our staffs," he added.

Israel's refusal to accept the Russian offer is expected to complicate the situation for Russia, which works to achieve a ceasefire in the war-torn country.