Former Israeli Ambassador to Russia: PM Medvedev’s Professed Warmth Toward Jewish State Ahead of Upcoming Visit Does Not Contradict Moscow’s ‘Multi-Sectoral’ Ties With Iran, Hezbollah by Ruthie Blum / November 6, 2016 10:30 pm Russia doesn’t consider it problematic or contradictory to strengthen ties with Israel while backing the regime in Syria or engaging in “multi-sectoral relations” with Iran, the Palestinians and other Muslim states, a Mideast and Russia expert at an Israel- based research organization told The Algemeiner on Sunday. Zvi Magen, from the Institute for National Security Studies, was explaining the significance of Saturday night’s interview on Israel’s Channel 2 with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, ahead of his upcoming visit to the Jewish state and Palestinian Authority. During the interview, Medvedev stressed the “warm” relations that currently exist between Moscow and Jerusalem and those that he hopes will continue to develop in the future. Magen — who served as Israel’s ambassador to Ukraine in 1993 and to Russia in 1998, as well as heading Nativ, the Liaison Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Office, which maintained contact with Jews in the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War — said that the Russian president actually meant what he said. “It is true that bilateral economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries are good for the time being. And Russia clearly considers Israel important enough to warrant the effort.” … For full article, see: https://www.algemeiner.com/2016/11/06/former-israeli-ambassador-to-russia-pm- medvedevs-professed-warmth-toward-jewish-state-ahead-of-upcoming-visit-does-not- contradict-moscows-multi-sectoral-ties-with-iran-hezbollah/ .