Brian M Downing
The hostile era
The Soviet Union provided limited support to the Jewish revolt against British rule after WW2 – anything to weaken an opponent in the emerging Cold War. Moscow quickly shifted to Arab states, and Britain and France backed Israel. Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Libya, and others received Soviet armor and aircraft, technical assistance, and military advisors.
Eager to embarrass the West and aid Arab allies, Moscow encouraged border raids and other pressures. Soviet hardware and advice couldn’t overcome IDF superiority and the element of surprise in 1967. Arab armies were overwhelmed and Israel seized Golan and Sinai.
Afterward, the Soviets built up Arab air defenses, sent Sagger antitank missiles, and urged a war of revenge. However, when the USSR dropped its support for war amid Detente with the US, Cairo broke with
Moscow. Egypt and Syria initiated a war in 1973 and made surprising gains. Most of the Bar Lev Line fell in short order and IDF counterattacks took heavy casualties.
American technical support helped crack Arab air defenses and the US poured in supplies of armor and antitank missiles. The tide was turned, IDF divisions crossed the Canal, and Egyptian forces east of the Canal were cut off. Arab armies performed better than in 1967 but were thoroughly defeated.
The cooperative era
Post-communist Russia was in a shambles. The economy cratered and influence in the world fell hard. Israel would not seem a likely trade and strategic partner as Russia was a bastion of antisemitism and backer of Arab enemies. But Russia enjoys a measure of support in Israel. Many Israelis emigrated from Russia and retain warm feelings toward it. All Israelis know the Red Army broke the Third Reich’s back and liberated the camps in the East.
Israel saw opportunity. Iran was once the source of the country’s oil but ties were deteriorating. Iraq was no longer a common danger after the US destroyed its army in 1991 and Iran was strengthening Hisbollah in Lebanon. Israel turned to Russian oil and in return exported technology – an Achilles heel to the old Soviet Union which was made clear when Israel shot down 85 Syrian MiGs in 1982.
Israel sells more and more technology, most notably military gear, and has expanded business ties with Russian firms. When oil and gas fields were discovered in the Mediterranean, Russian outfits got the contracts to develop them, even though American firms had more expertise. A pipeline running from the Mediterranean to Eilat on the Red Sea will send Russian oil to new markets.
Strategic importance
The economic benefits to Israel are slight compared to the security ones. Traditional enemies – Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Libya – have long relied greatly on Moscow’s support. They could never have launched a war without Soviet hardware and expertise, not in ’67 or ’73. They have either made peace with Israel or fallen into paralyzing turmoil.
Arab neighbors may reconstitute themselves and seek vengeance someday but they cannot wage war without Russian backing. Acceptance and cooperation is replacing rejection and war, if only reluctantly. The Palestinians hardly figure anymore.
The partnership is at work in Syria, Israel’s only major contiguous enemy. Israel wants Iran out of Syria, a move that will gravely weaken Hisbollah. Moscow is on good terms with Damascus and Tehran. Indeed, Russia is their only significant ally and they must pay heed.
Israel is leaning hard on Russia. Over the last few years Israeli jets and missiles have repeatedly struck Iranian and Hisbollah targets in Syria, and Russia looks the other way. Its SA-400 air defense system operates on its own military bases in N Syria but it has not been used to defend Syrian airspace. Damascus has only older Russian air defenses. When Syria requested an upgrade, the Russian defense minister said, apparently with a straight face, that it didn’t need one. Israel’s strikes persist.
More recently, Russian-backed militias have skirmished with Iranian militias. Others are occupying districts east of Israel’s positions on the Golan Heights. Clearly, Israel is more important than Syria and Iran’s presence is endangered.
Israel’s rapprochement and cooperation with Russia has been a tremendous success, neutralizing most traditional enemies and making the country more secure than ever. Diplomacy with the Sunni monarchies will be looked at next.
© 2020 Brian M Downing
Brian M Downing is a national security analyst who’s written for outlets across the political spectrum. He studied at Georgetown University and the University of Chicago, and did post-graduate work at Harvard’s Center for International Affairs. Thanks as ever to Susan Ganosellis.