It seems that the Kremlin wanted to show Israel who controls the sector, to humiliate it a bit, and also to cut a coupon on it • Accepting the Russian dictate sends a sad message •
Military vehicle on the Israeli-Syrian border // Photo: EPI
The quick and successful conclusion of the deal to return the young Israeli woman who crossed into Syria was tarnished over the weekend, after learning of the secret clause included in it according to a report in the foreign media: Israeli funding totaling about $ 1.2 million, in exchange for Russian-made vaccines to be transferred to Syria.
In past transactions, Israel has sought to refrain from paying in components that are not directly related to the transaction itself.
The argument was that this would open a dangerous loophole for various and bizarre claims of the other side in the future - from money, through weapons to political concessions.
Therefore, the Shamgar Commission (whose conclusions were never officially adopted) also recommended reducing the transactions to true value.
A soldier for a prisoner, a citizen for a citizen, a body for a body.
It is legitimate that the Israeli government has decided to deviate from its custom and pay in another currency as well, but the concealment of the matter is puzzling and worrisome.
It is clear that someone was very uncomfortable with the matter being published, certainly at the current political time of election night in Israel.
This could have obscured the achievement and left the impression of succumbing to dictates or of unsuccessful negotiations (certainly when at the same time Israel refrains from transmitting vaccines to the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria and Gaza).
The use of military censorship to block the publication of the "secret clause" was unnecessary.
In 2021, it will be impossible to block information that is distributed so quickly and to such an extent.
Attempting to do so erodes an important tool, and worse, undermines the credibility of censorship, and the credibility of the government.
Just like in the F-35 deal, it would have been better to publish all the details in advance and let the public judge whether the deal is reasonable or not.
It seems that in both cases, despite the price and the criticism, the answer was yes.
The "secret clause" raises questions for further reasons.
It has been argued that Russia itself has insisted on secrecy, and has even conditioned on it any future aid to it on similar issues.
When it comes to a possible reliance on Russia in the continuation of efforts to return the bodies of Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, the victims of the battle in Sultan Yaakov, or of Mossad man Eli Cohen, it is clear why Israel had an apparent interest in complying with the Russian demand.
However, the suspicion creeps into the heart that the Russian interest intersected with the Israeli interest, and in any case - Israel is not Russia, and democracy has rules and laws other than those in Russia.
On the face of it, Russia had no reason to insist on Israeli funding for vaccines it transfers to Syria.
This is small money, which does not affect its economy.
Just to illustrate: Every month Russia transfers tens of millions of dollars worth of anti-aircraft batteries to Syria instead of those destroyed or damaged in the airstrikes. Syria is supposed to pay in return, but in practice it is short of funding the weapons and receives it "on account" .
Therefore, it seems that Russia mainly wanted to show Israel who the real landlady in the sector is.
Humiliate her a bit, and along the way also cut out a coupon for that.
This is unfortunate in many respects, and mainly because Israel could have leveraged the vaccines (against Syria and against the Palestinians) for significant achievements for itself, and not for others.
Avoiding this - and with it the acceptance of the Russian dictate - could send a sad message to the region, according to which Israel understands only power.
