US-Israeli Woman Jailed In Russia For Drug Trafficking Is Released
A US-Israeli woman jailed for drug trafficking in Russia flew home from Moscow today with Benjamin Netanyahu after she was granted a pardon by President Vladimir Putin.
Russia freed 26-year-old Naama Issachar from prison shortly before the Israeli prime minister met Putin at the Kremlin where they discussed US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan.
Netanyahu later met Issachar and her mother at Moscow airport and posted a video of the emotional meeting on Twitter as he told her: 'We're excited to see you. Now, we're going home.'
The release of Issachar, who was jailed in Russia last year for possession of cannabis, will be seen as a huge publicity coup for Netanyahu ahead of elections in March.
It comes in the same week that he stood alongside Trump in the White House when he announced his peace deal.
Issachar was caught with nine grams of the drug in her bag during a stop-over at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow while flying from India back to Israel.
She was initially charged with drug possession, which typically carries a one-month sentence in Russia, but that was later upgraded to drug smuggling and she was jailed for seven and a half years.
Israeli officials believe Issachar's charges were upgraded as retaliation after Israel extradited hacker Aleksey Burkov, 29, of St. Petersburg, to America.
Putin asked Netanyahu to give his regards to Issachar and her mother.
'I would like to thank you on behalf of all the people of Israel for granting a pardon to Naama Issachar,' Netanyahu said. 'We are all touched by this.'
Putin told Netanyahu that it was lucky for Issachar that she did not cross the border, suggesting this would have complicated the pardon procedure.
'She - thank God, it's very good for her - didn't even cross the Russian border,' Putin said, adding that the drugs were found in her luggage while the baggage was being moved from one plane to another.
Russia has never formally linked the two cases. Burkov has since pleaded guilty to running a website linked to $20million of credit card fraud at a court in Virginia.
Since the dispute, Israel has been working to repair relations with Russia - siding with Putin's Orthodox allies over who controls Alexander Courtyard in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Netanyahu came to Moscow after visiting Washington where President Trump unveiled his long-awaited Mideast peace plan on Tuesday.
Netanyahu had earlier said he would like to hear Putin's 'insights' on Trump's plan, which has caused outrage among Palestinians, as the pair sat down for talks in Moscow.
'I think there's a new and perhaps unique opportunity here,' the Israeli premier told Putin at the Kremlin.
Netanyahu stood alongside Trump at the White House when the peace plan was announced Tuesday and called it a victory for Israel.
Russia freed 26-year-old Naama Issachar from prison shortly before the Israeli prime minister met Putin at the Kremlin where they discussed US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan.
Netanyahu later met Issachar and her mother at Moscow airport and posted a video of the emotional meeting on Twitter as he told her: 'We're excited to see you. Now, we're going home.'
The release of Issachar, who was jailed in Russia last year for possession of cannabis, will be seen as a huge publicity coup for Netanyahu ahead of elections in March.
It comes in the same week that he stood alongside Trump in the White House when he announced his peace deal.
Issachar was caught with nine grams of the drug in her bag during a stop-over at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow while flying from India back to Israel.
She was initially charged with drug possession, which typically carries a one-month sentence in Russia, but that was later upgraded to drug smuggling and she was jailed for seven and a half years.
Israeli officials believe Issachar's charges were upgraded as retaliation after Israel extradited hacker Aleksey Burkov, 29, of St. Petersburg, to America.
Putin asked Netanyahu to give his regards to Issachar and her mother.
'I would like to thank you on behalf of all the people of Israel for granting a pardon to Naama Issachar,' Netanyahu said. 'We are all touched by this.'
Putin told Netanyahu that it was lucky for Issachar that she did not cross the border, suggesting this would have complicated the pardon procedure.
'She - thank God, it's very good for her - didn't even cross the Russian border,' Putin said, adding that the drugs were found in her luggage while the baggage was being moved from one plane to another.
Russia has never formally linked the two cases. Burkov has since pleaded guilty to running a website linked to $20million of credit card fraud at a court in Virginia.
Since the dispute, Israel has been working to repair relations with Russia - siding with Putin's Orthodox allies over who controls Alexander Courtyard in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Netanyahu came to Moscow after visiting Washington where President Trump unveiled his long-awaited Mideast peace plan on Tuesday.
Netanyahu had earlier said he would like to hear Putin's 'insights' on Trump's plan, which has caused outrage among Palestinians, as the pair sat down for talks in Moscow.
'I think there's a new and perhaps unique opportunity here,' the Israeli premier told Putin at the Kremlin.
Netanyahu stood alongside Trump at the White House when the peace plan was announced Tuesday and called it a victory for Israel.
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