BY TOVAH LAZAROFF APRIL 4, 2019 14:23 3 minute read. b
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, Moscow on April 4th, 2019. (photo credit: KOBI GIDEON/GPO)
“Russian military forces, together with the Syrians, located the body of Zachary Baumel,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a brief meeting in the Kremlin on Thursday.
“It is important that his family can place a wreath on his grave,” Putin added.Read More Related Articles
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Recommended byHe explained that the Russian army which was still in the process of identifying the remains of its soldiers from World War II, understood the significance of allowing families to have closure on this issue.
Netanyahu recalled for Putin that “two years ago I turned to you with a personal request – that you help us in finding the remains of the soldiers, including Zachary Baumel, out of the great shared values of comrades-in-arms and fellowship of soldiers. You responded immediately.
“You said that you would act personally. You called on your people who did exceptional work and several days ago, you brought us the late Zachary Baumel, to Israel, and he will be buried in Jerusalem this evening,” Netanyahu said.
“I am always happy to visit here with you Mr. President but today is especially moving. You have just now expressed the supreme value that you and the Russian people ascribe to finding the missing and bringing soldiers to burial. This is our common value,” Netanyahu told the Russian president.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the Russian Army chief of staff at the ceremony of transferring the coffin of the missing Zacharia Baumel to Israel in Moscow, Russia on April 4th, 2019 (Credit: Kobi Gideon/GPO)
He also thanked Putin for the important “brave friendship” between them and their countries.
Netanyahu recalled for Putin his emotional exchange with the Baumel family the night before after they heard the news.
“They [the Baumel family] were moved in a way that I cannot describe to you Mr. President. They were so moved, first of all by the return of their son and brother. The father has already passed on. The mother will be 90 soon; it was very emotional.,” Netanyahu said.
Baume’s “The sister, the brother and their children came to see me and as I told them of your decision and about the fact that Russian soldiers took actions, sometimes at personal risk, they were open-mouthed and asked me to convey their deepest gratitude which is shared by all Israelis,” Netanyahu said.
After meeting with Putin, Netanyahu went to the Defense Ministry in Moscow, where a special ceremony was held with a Red Army honor guard.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the Russian Army chief of staff at the ceremony of transferring the coffin of the missing Zacharia Baumel to Israel in Moscow, Russia on April 4th, 2019 (Credit: Kobi Gideon/GPO)
For the ceremony Russia had placed additional remains from Baumel’s body into a coffin draped with an Israeli flag. That coffin was presented to Israel at the ceremony.
Netanyahu will bring the coffin with him when he returns to Israel this afternoon to the funeral for Baumel scheduled to be held at 7 p.m. tonight at Mt. Herzl’s military cemetery in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu had flown to Moscow on Thursday for a brief visit after he announced Wednesday that Baumel’s remains had been found after 37 years. Some of his remains were flown to Israel earlier this week.
Baumel, an Israel-American citizens, was last seen at the June 1982 battle of Sultan Yacoub toward the start of the first Lebanon War. He was listed as missing until Wednesday when Netanyahu announced that his body had been returned to Israel.
With the help of Russians operating on the ground in Syria and Syrians, it was located in a cemetery in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk
Netanyahu brought a security delegation with him to Mosocw that included the head of the Mossad, he head of Military Intelligence and the head of the National Security Council.
The two leaders were also expected to discuss events in Syria. Before leaving for Moscow, Netanyahu said, “”I am leaving for another periodic meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. We will discuss events in Syria, and they are accumulating, the ongoing and special coordination between our militaries and other issues that are important for Israel.”
Jerusalem Post Staff and Maariv online contributed to this report.