Kremlin questions need for NATO-like alliance in Middle East amid Netanyahu's security proposal

The Kremlin doubts that a NATO-like confrontational alliance is needed in the Middle East, but believes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corresponding idea needs clarification of details.

"One has to understand the details of such an initiative. Which countries' alliance is this? After all, NATO has an absolutely pronounced and systemic confrontational orientation," Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, commenting on the corresponding proposal by the head of the Israeli Cabinet, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

According to him, NATO was first created to deter the Soviet Union, then continued to fulfil functions to deter the Russian Federation and continues to do so to this day. "Do we need confrontational mechanisms in the Middle East? Hardly," Peskov concluded.

Earlier, Netanyahu, speaking to a joint session of the US Senate and House of Representatives, called for the creation of a security alliance in the Middle East similar to NATO in Europe. "All countries that are or want to live in peace with Israel should be invited to this alliance," Netanyahu said.