Avigdor lieberman vladimir putin biography

Results of Avigdor Lieberman's visit

The Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman completed his visit to Moscow at the end of last week by having talks with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The Russian Prime Minister described Israel as "a priority partner in the Middle East" and promised to visit the Jewish state next year. One of the topics he plans to discuss during his visit is Russian gas supplies to Israel. The Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman arrived in Moscow to attend the 7 session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. One of the main outcomes of the meeting was progress in solving the problem of an air link between southern Russia and Israel. Last June flights to Israel from Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar and Sochi were suspended because Russia had banned armed Israeli security guards from entering these airports. The Israelis accused Russia of unfair competition and banned the flights of Russian airlines from southern Russia.

According to Kommersant's information, the Israeli domestic security service, Shabak, which is in charge of flight security should settle the issue with its Russian counterparts by next spring so that Israeli airlines could resume flights to Southern Russia. The Israeli authorities are expected to allow Russian airlines into the country still earlier. The concession does not come as a surprise. Israel pins great hopes on the Russian regions. In spite of the crisis, the number of Russian tourists visiting the Holy Land will hit a record 400,000 this year. One major reason for this is the cancellation of the visa regime between our countries.  Neta Peleg-Briskin, a tourism advisor at the Israeli Embassy in Moscow, told Kommersant that an average Russian tourist leaves about $1500 in Israel during one trip. In 2010 the number of Russians visiting Israel may reach half a million, bringing about $750 million to the Israeli budget. Much of the tour

Russia's Friend at Court in Israel

Avigdor Lieberman, an ultra-nationalist pro-Russian right-wing politician, is expected to be confirmed as Israel's next minister for defense, which could influence the development of Israel's gas industry. 

Lieberman was born in Moldova when it was still a part of the Soviet Union and he speaks fluent Russian. He immigrated to Israel in 1978 at the age of 20. Following a short business career he became the director-general of the prime minister's office when Benjamin Netanyahu became prime minister for the first time, exactly 20 years ago this month.

He later resigned this post, established his own party and became foreign minister, a job he held for six years from 2009. From time to time he left politics and became involved in international trade particularly with eastern European and Eurasian regimes. His friendship with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is not a secret.

Opposition to rapprochement with Turkey

During the last few months when Turkey negotiated the rapprochement agreement with Israel, Lieberman, still in the opposition, sided with the Russian position, opposing the rapprochement and said that it was better for Israel to strengthen its ties with Greece and Cyprus, two of Russia's allies in the region. Israel's outgoing defence minister, Moshe Ya'alon, was also against the rapprochement unless Turkey expelled Hamas operatives from Turkey. Now Lieberman is expected to support Gazprom's engagement in Israel's natural gas market.

Last week, after Lieberman's appointment, he met – accidentally, according to his associates – Yossi Abu, the CEO of Delek Drilling and Avner, two Delek Group's subsidiaries, at an upscale restaurant in Jerusalem. The meeting lasted just a few minutes.

For many years Lieberman has been the main pillar of support for the gas monopoly among Israel's politi

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