Russian defense minister to begin 1st official visit to Israel

GAZA CITY - 16 October 2017: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will start a visit to Israel Monday; his first trip to the country since becoming Russia's defense minister in 2012, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Shoigu will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman.

The meetings are expected to cover the cooperation between Russia and Israel and continued military coordination over Syria, as well as the Iranian entrenchment in the war-torn country and transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah by Tehran through Damascus.

The visit will be paid just days before Liberman flies to Washington to meet Defense Secretary James Mattis for talks on Iran and other regional issues.