Mr. Netanyahu doesn’t speak Russian, yet he still seems to have found a common language with Mr. Putin, one he speaks even more fluently than Mr. Sharon. That should not be a surprise. Necessity breeds friendship. In Israel’s case, the Kremlin became a necessity for two very much related reasons: Russia’s growing presence in Middle East affairs and the simultaneous American withdrawal from the region. To put it bluntly, Israel trusts Russia’s intention to become a key player in the region more than it trusts the United States’ intention to stop that from happening.

Israel has long been a pawn in the great superpower game, and so we Israelis have occasionally suspected that the Russians have a sturdier backbone than the Americans. When it comes to foreign affairs, Russians often seem less sentimental and always seem more brutal. These aren’t necessarily virtues, but they are traits that other countries must keep in mind.

Nonetheless, not that long ago, Israel rarely questioned the United States’ basic commitment to contain Russia’s influence in the Middle East. The strategic arrangement was simple: Israel deals with the small dogs of the neighborhood, and the United States makes sure that no big dogs interfere to tip the balance against Israel.

Mr. Putin began challenging this arrangement years ago. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia. In 2014, it invaded Crimea. And it got away with both. For Israel, this was not a sure sign that things were changing. Israel could still hope that the United States was letting Mr. Putin toy around only with those countries that had the misfortune of residing too close to Russia’s borders.

Then, in the summer of 2015, Russia sent its armed forces to Syria. And while President Obama was still contemplating his response, Mr. Netanyahu boarded a flight to Moscow to meet with the Middle East’s new sheriff. The two leaders may have disagreed in their meeting, but Mr. Netanyahu was clearly recognizing that he had to deal with the Russians. In daringly supporting President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Mr. Putin had sent a strong signal about Russia’s intentions. And with Russian warplanes flying not far from its northern border, Israel couldn’t ignore it.