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Why is Netanyahu really meeting with Putin?

The Israeli coordinator for POWs and MIAs, Yaron Blum, was spotted on the plane, which may suggest that Netanyahu and Putin's meeting is about more than just Syria.

APRIL 4, 2019 09:00

The Israeli coordinator for POWs and MIAs, Yaron Blum, was spotted on the plane to Moscow with Netanyahu on Thursday morning, according to The Jerusalem Post's Hebrew sister newspaper Maariv.

This may suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting is about more than just Syria. There could also be an element of gratitude as after almost 37 years Sgt. Zachary Baumel's body was returned home.

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While IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis wouldn’t say where Baumel had been buried for all these years, in September, Russia claimed that its military worked with Israel on an operation to locate the remains of fallen IDF soldiers that were in Syrian territory.

“Israel appealed to Russia with a request for help finding the remains of Israeli servicemen located at specific coordinates in Syria. The search was organized after Russia agreed to the operation with our Syrian partners,” said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov.

On Thursday morning, Netanyahu denied that the timing of the return of Sgt. Zachary Baumel body, had anything to do with the upcoming elections on Kan.

"The date of his return was not determined by the elections, but rather by operational considerations," Netanyahu said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would discuss Syria and the continued coordination between the IDF and Russian Army with Putin, before he left to Moscow on Thursday morning.

"I'm leaving for another meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin," Netanyahu said. "We will discuss the situation in Syria. And the continued coordination between the IDF and the Russian Army."

Anna Ahronheim contributed to the report.