Putin's dangerous flirtation with Hamas

Hamas's visit to Russia less than three weeks after the Palestinian Islamist group's armed wing attacked Israeli territory is already having negative consequences for the Kremlin, which appears to have risked too much in its attempts to divert attention from the war in Ukraine. 

Israel, which for the past 20 months has neither supported Ukraine nor backed Western sanctions against Moscow, strongly condemned the visit and has lodged a strong protest with the Russian ambassador. 

Meanwhile, anti-Semitic riots have broken out in the powder keg of the Caucasus. The arrival of representatives of Hamas's political wing has been interpreted by some groups in Russia as a carte blanche to demonstrate in favour of Palestine and persecute Jews. 

Putin closes ranks, the agitator is the West 

Unlike in other crises, Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted swiftly. He convened an extraordinary meeting with the top brass of the government, both houses of parliament and the secret services. 

The seriousness of the problem for the Kremlin is confirmed by the presence of Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, who has had to return urgently from China. 

The meeting will focus on "Western attempts to take advantage of the situation in the Middle East to divide Russian society". 

The Kremlin closed ranks, denouncing the riots as "the result of outside interference". 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was more direct. She accused Ukraine of playing a "key role" in the alleged provocation. 

The unrest erupted days after Putin accused the West, during a meeting with Russia's Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim leaders, of promoting "Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Russophobia" to undermine his rivals.

Anti-Semitic mobs in the Caucasus

The reality is that, after several days of tension in the North Caucasus - in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria they tried to burn down a Jewish cultural centre - a mob of some 1,500 people stormed the airport of the Dagestan republic's capital, Makhachkala, last night, shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great"). 

Images released by the media showed an uncontrolled mob inspecting airport screens and cars for Jews and Israeli citizens, and even advancing on the runways and attempting to board a plane from Tel Aviv. 

As a result, at least 60 people have been arrested and more than 20 injured, including nine policemen, two in serious condition. 

The attempted pogrom, which forced the diversion of flights from Israel, took place despite the fact that nearly 20 Russian citizens were killed in the Hamas attack and three others are being held hostage. 

According to the head of the Jewish community in Dagestan, the police have had to take over the security of synagogues.

Israel and Zelensky condemn Kremlin in unison

In a joint statement with the Foreign Ministry, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office urged Russia to "take forceful action" against "rioters" and "wild incitement" against Israelis and Jews.

Meanwhile, Russia's ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Sunday to protest the Palestinian group's visit to Moscow and condemn the Kremlin's "serious" lack of "unequivocal and clear condemnation" of "the Hamas terrorist organisation". 

"Hosting Hamas leaders, who are directly responsible for the 7 October terrorist attack, the kidnapping of hostages and the shedding of the blood of more than 1,400 Israelis, sends a message that it is legitimate to commit acts of terrorism against Israelis," the Israeli Foreign Ministry statement said. 

Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky, who is Jewish, added his voice to the condemnation of the hunt on Monday, citing "anti-Semitism and Russian hatred of other nations", which he said was "systematic". 

Zelensky denounced this Russian "culture of hatred" as being "propagated by public television, opinion leaders and the authorities" and accused Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of making "anti-Semitic remarks".

Dagestan, Putin's biggest nightmare

Dagestan is a territory closely linked to Putin's political career. As soon as he took office as prime minister in August 1999, Islamists declared the republic's independence and a holy war against Russia. 

Putin, who was to take over the Kremlin months later, launched an anti-terrorist operation to quell the rebellion and did not hesitate to go to Makhachkala to calm things down. 

Immediately afterwards, he launched the Second Chechen War, a campaign that would allow him to strengthen his power by dismantling the Islamist guerrillas and putting an end to separatism in the Caucasus.