Netanyahu discovers hospitality has its limits

Zachary Baumel, an Israeli soldier, was killed in 1982 in Lebanon, but his remains were returned to Israel only this year, 37 years later, with Russia's assistance. At the widely covered funeral for Baumel on April 4, days before elections for the 21st Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had himself gone to the trouble of ensuring the return of the army boots and jumpsuit worn by Baumel along with his remains, which were discovered in Syria.

Two months later, in June, Putin dispatched national security adviser Nikolai Patrushev to Jerusalem for a rare meeting with his American and Israeli counterparts, John Bolton (since fired) and Meir Ben-Shabbat, respectively. The Prime Minister’s Office reported at the time that their discussion focused on Iran, Syria and other regional issues. Speaking on the occasion, Netanyahu thanked Putin and President Donald Trump for agreeing to the “security summit,” and further remarked, “I deeply value the strong relationships that Israel has with both leaders and both countries.”