Russia rejects demand by Israel that it stop jamming GPS signals in Israeli airspace

TEL AVIV

Russia has rejected a demand by Israel that it stop using defense systems in Syria that jam GPS systems in Israeli airspace and affect landings by commercial aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport in the capital Tel Aviv, Israeli media reported Monday.

Israel sent a letter to Russia stating that the defense systems operated by Russia at Khmeimim Air Base in the Syrian port city of Latakia cause electromagnetic interference in the GPS systems of the planes landing in Tel Aviv, the official Israeli KAN channel reported.

Rejecting Israel's demand, Moscow emphasized that the systems were placed to protect its soldiers in the region.

Speaking to the KAN channel, a pilot working for an airline company at the airport said the electromagnetic effect was quite strong at the beginning of 2019 but later ended. However, they have once again witnessed a similar situation in the region near the airport in the past four weeks.