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This is an analysis of Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Middle East which took place last April. The Russian president’s visit is a historic one, the first ever to Palestine and Israel and the first to Egypt in more than 40 years. Analysts have said the visit represents a new development in Russia’s foreign policy towards the region. The paper states that having put the Russian house in order, Putin now wants to adopt a more vigorous foreign policy approach to the Middle East. And hence his visit to the Arab League in Cairo has been interpreted by analysts as a master-stroke signaling to all Arab countries that Russia wants to open up a new chapter of relations with the countries of the region and play a new more positive and constructive role. Having left the area for so long, the Russian president wants to try and build commercial relations with every member of the Arab League while recognizing the traditional role of the U.S., in the region. While, and though Putin believes America has entrenched its position through bilateral relations with countries in the Middle East, and especially on the peace process front, nevertheless, he believes Russia can play a more balancing act especially in its support of the different Arab issues faced in such states like Iraq and Palestine. His visit to the autonomous areas run by the Palestinian National Authority was designed as a show of support to the government in its negotiations in the peace process and to consolidate existing relations. Likewise his visit to Israel was aimed to register to the government there that Russia wants a peaceful solution in the area, and is prepared to play a more active role to achieve a more stable region. These points are the jest of the Arabic article, although the analysis also tackles Russia’s traditional support for Syria and its role in Iran, especially as a military supplier, and as a consequence, the tense relations this created with Israel. In this respect also regional power, power politics, balance of power as well as the sense of realism is tackled especially between Russia and Israel.
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