The Russian Foreign Ministry said on February 6 that it had informed Israeli Ambassador Simona Halperin of its "negative reaction" to her comments about Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian policy in the Middle East. Halperin was summoned to the Foreign Ministry a day after Russian authorities complained about her "unacceptable comments" in an interview with a Russian newspaper. Halperin said in the interview that Lavrov had played down the importance of the Holocaust and that Russia was too friendly with Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the EU and the United States. To read the original story by Reuters, click here.
Russia Summons Israeli Ambassador Amid Anger At Criticisms Of Lavrov, Middle East Policy
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had played down the importance of the Holocaust, according to Israel's ambassador to Russia, Simona Halperin.