Close Encounters of the Wrong Kind: Russia and Israeli Planes Near Dogfight

Author: The New York Observer

May 19, 2016

Last month, on the eve of Passover, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jumped onto his plane and rushed to Moscow. He returned later that same day.

Last month, on the eve of Passover, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jumped onto his plane and rushed to Moscow. He returned later that same day. The eve of Passover is arguably the busiest day of the year in Israel. It’s true for every sector of Israeli life, politics included. Busier even than the eve of Rosh HaShannah or Yom Kippur. And yet, Mr. Netanyahu flew off to visit President Vladimir Putin. The trip took on the status of “high risk” even “near crisis.” A pro forma visit to Moscow had been planned to Russia, but without the urgency. The agenda was hurriedly changed after a Russian fighter jet was scrambled to intercept an Israeli jet. And the week before that, Israeli jets ...