The go-ahead for the $300 million Yakhont cruise missile
deal was announced last week by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who
told state-run news agency RIA it dated back to a 2007 contract and had met
objections from the US, Israel's ally.
"This (sale) complicates the situation. It does not
contribute to stability and it does not create peace in the region. We will
convey to Russia our position," the Israel Hayom daily quoted Lieberman as
saying.
Despite its fitful peace efforts with Syria, Israel remains
mistrustful. Damascus has made occasional veiled threats that war could be an
option for regaining the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
RIA on Friday quoted Serdyukov as saying the United States
feared the Yakhonts could end up in the hands of "terrorists" — an
apparent reference to Hezbollah, which surprised Israel by hitting one of its
warships with a cruise missile in a 2006 war. Serdyukov called such concerns
"fruitless,” RIA said. Lieberman said that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud
Barak, who visited Moscow this month to sign a military cooperation pact, had
"dealt with the (Yakhont) issue, but things didn't work out.” Russia,
which is building up a fleet of Israeli-made drones, earlier pleased Israel by
promising not to deliver S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran while new UN
sanctions over its nuclear program are in place.
