much more analysis and authors
http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/index/journalindex.html
PUTIN AND RUSSIA'S MIDDLE EASTERN POLICY
Ilya Bourtman*
Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently pursuing a two track policy towards the Middle East, allowing Russia to develop friendly ties with Israel while simultaneously nurturing alternative, sometimes competing, interests with Arab countries. This non-ideological policy has allowed Russia to reclaim a part of the economic and strategic leverage it lost following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Thus far, Russia has successfully signed diplomatic, military, and energy deals and developed ties with both Israel and its Arab neighbors without significantly alienating one or the other. Whether Putin's embrace of Hamas in March 2006 or his continued armament of Iran will damage Russia's relations with Israel is still an open question.
continued at
http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2006/...jv10no2a1.html