Russia releases US-Israeli prisoner convicted of drug trafficking ahead of Netanyahu visit

Naama Issachar was freed by Putin on ‘humanitarian principles’

A U.S.-Israeli woman jailed for trafficking cannabis through Russia has received a formal pardon from President Putin granting her early release from her seven and a half year sentence.

Naama Issachar, 27, was ten months into her jail term when Mr Putin freed her on “humanitarian principles”, ahead of talks in Russia with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Trump’s Israeli-Palestine peace deal.

Mr Netanyahu thanked his “friend” Putin for pardoning the female backpacker who was arrested last April when police discovered nine grams of cannabis in her luggage during a stopover at Moscow airport on a trip from India to Israel.

The right-wing Israeli leader will fly back to Israel with Ms Issachar today in what is perceived to be a political boost for the Prime Minister, who has repeatedly appealed to Mr Putin for her release.

Yaffa Issachar, Ms Issachar's mother, told The Jerusalem Post: “It has been a long journey that I would not wish upon anyone.

“Now, all I want is to hug my daughter Naama.”

Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara receive flowers from Putin during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow (EPA)

Extending her heartfelt thanks to both prime minister Netanyahu and president Putin, she told The Times of Israel: “I’m excited, I imagined it [her release] many times, she did too.

“But we never imagined the prime minister would come and bring her.”

Mr Putin met Ms Issachar’s mother last week during a trip to Israel where he assured her “everything will be ok.”

The decision to free the 27-year-old dual national has been linked to an earlier decision by Israel to transfer ownership of the Alexander Courtyard, a Russian Orthodox Church, to the Kremlin ending a decade long dispute over the land.

Both countries have strongly denied claims there was any political bargaining, with a senior Israeli official asserting “there was no deal with Russia”.

The timely release of Ms Issachar is thought to bode well for Mr Netanyahu’s upcoming election prospects with the third election of the year taking place on 2 March 2020.

News of the young woman's release came hours after Mr Netanyahu was formally charged for fraud, breach of trust, and bribery linked to three corruption cases – all of which he denies.