JERUSALEM, 13 January 2005 — Israel is trying to halt an arms deal in which Russia would supply advanced missiles to Syria, Israeli officials said yesterday.

The officials spoke after a Russian newspaper reported the deal.

The deputy Russian foreign minister is in the region to discuss the matter, the Israeli officials said on condition of anonymity. The United States is aware of the growing crisis between Russia and Israel, they said.

The Russian daily Kommersant reported yesterday that Israel recalled its ambassador over the deal. Israeli officials said the ambassador was in Israel on vacation and denied he had been recalled.

The newspaper said Moscow planned to sell Iskander-E missile complexes to Syria. The missiles can destroy targets up to 175 miles away and would put all of Israel’s territory, including the Dimona nuclear center in the Negev desert, in jeopardy, Kommersant said.

It said that Syria had turned to Moscow two years ago with a request to purchase 18 Iskander-E complexes, but that the equipment had not even been tested yet so Damascus settled for Kornet-E and Metis-M missile systems.

The press service of Russia’s main arms export company, Rosoboronexport, said it had no information that Russia was planning such a sale.

Mikhail Troyanovsky, the deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry press service, said that “all issues pertaining to the Kommersant publication are being thoroughly studied by the Foreign Ministry.”

Israeli military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have expressed concern that the missiles would get into the hands of Hezbollah and disrupt the military balance in the Middle East.

Syrian President Bashar Assad is due to visit Russia Jan. 24-28.

Israel Fears Huge Fine Over Nixed Drones Export to China

Israel could have to pay a multi-million-dollar fine to China after canceling a contract to upgrade a consignment of drones under US pressure, public radio quoted officials as saying.

“Israeli officials fear they will have no choice but to pay a fine,” the radio said, adding it could reach tens of millions of dollars.

Israel had sold China Harpy drones designed to attack radar stations. Under the terms of the contract, Israel was due to upgrade the drones by providing equipment for which China has already paid between $50-60 million.

But Washington last month pressured its Israeli ally to nix the deal, arguing that the sophisticated weapons in the hands of China were a threat to its strategic interests.

Washington, which regards China as the emerging rival to its status as the world’s lone superpower, is concerned that advanced US defense technology contained in Israeli equipment could be used against Taiwan.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry official visiting Israel two weeks warned the United States against meddling in Beijing’s affairs.