After Issachar's pardon was approved, a state official says: "The state acted to resolve a case that could hurt relations with Russia"

While Israel is eyeing Russia in the hope of announcing the release of Naama Issachar, a senior inter-ministerial team that handled the issue says: "There was no deal. The release was made as President Putin's tribute to the Prime Minister."

Tomorrow (Thursday), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Vladimir Putin in Russia to update details of the Centennial Plan published last night in Washington. After Issachar's pardon is approved, Israel is now hoping that she will be released from prison soon and will return to Israel with Prime Minister Netanyahu on his plane.

The senior official explains that "the state acted in its case, not only because of the mutual guarantee that is true for other cases as well, but with a desire to resolve a case that could hurt the sensitive relationship between Israel and Russia, and in light of the assessment that the state's stance on another matter was adversely affecting Russia. The links also in light of other issues between the two countries. "

The same factor added that the handling of the Issachar case "was carried out by an inter-ministerial team that included the head of the NSC, Minister Elkin, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Justice and the Deputy Prime Minister. The issues were brought to the decision of the relevant ministers and the prime minister."