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Russian jet also violated Israeli airspace
A Russian military jet had violated Israeli airspace it was announced on Sunday. The jet breached Israeli airspace by 1,6 km and turned back when Russia was informed of its mistake. Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon during an interview on Israel Public Radio said the breach had occurred recently while Russia had been carrying out airstrikes against rebels in the Syrian civil war. But, added Yaalon, the plane was not shot down, as the one pictured which was shot down by Turkey earlier this month for airspace intrusion.
ANT KATZ
The jet had turned back when Russia was informed of its mistake, Yaalon said during the radio interview.
“Russian planes do not intend to attack us, which is why we must not automatically react and shoot them down when an error occurs,” Yaalon said a week after Turkey downed a Russian jet that it said repeatedly violated Turkish airspace.
Israeli and Russian officials met in September to co-ordinate after Russia announced it would operate in Syria in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
A year ago, Israeli forces shot down a Syrian warplane that penetrated Israeli airspace over the Golan Heights. – JTA