Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has questioned whether his country has agreed to pay Russia to supply coronavirus vaccines to Syria as part of a prisoner exchange between the two Middle Eastern countries.
Mr Netanyahu confirmed on Saturday night that talks had taken place with Russia as part of efforts to bring back an Israeli woman captured in Syria. He said he had twice talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin to advance the agreement, but denied that Israel provided its own vaccines for it.
“I want to say that not even one Israeli vaccine has done this thing,” he said. Netanyahu said. “We brought the woman back. I’m glad we did. I thank President Putin for doing this. And more than that I will not add, because it was the Russian request. ”
The deal was first reported by an American blogger, Richard Silverstein, and the New York Times, who said Israel had secretly agreed to pay Russia to send vaccines to Syria to ensure the return of the Israeli woman.
Israel described the exchange as a standard prisoner exchange. However, the prime minister did not deny having bought the Russian vaccines, and a person familiar with the deal said it was part of the arrangement.