Israel Refuses to Provide Defensive Systems and Arms to Ukraine
The World Jewish Congress Says There Are 56,000 to 140,000 Jews in Ukraine
I reported in my previous Newsletter that Russia has been aided in its illegal war in Ukraine by four countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, China and India. But as soon as I published it, I saw updated reports that Israel has refused to provide any defensive or other arms to Ukraine. Apparently, Israel is not providing any arms to Ukraine: either defensive or offensive. It will not even provide any technology or components similar to their Iron Dome largely provided by the United States to intercept missiles coming from Gaza, the West Bank, Syria or elsewhere.
We receive reports every day that Russia is sending kamikaze drones supplied by Iran to strike all across Ukraine, attacking necessary infrastructure and continuing Putin’s reign of terror on the civilian Ukrainian population. Russia has used these Iranian drones to target electrical energy production and transmission infrastructure with Putin’s goal of subjecting Ukrainians to a harsh winter without heat and light to demoralize the civilian population and, in Putin’s mind, force a Ukrainian surrender and a concession of Crimea and Donbas to Russia. But Putin’s drone campaign has only bolstered Ukrainian resolve even if Russia’s action will force a very hard winter in Ukraine for its civilian population.
Israel clearly has both defensive and offensive armaments and systems that could be used to thwart or reduce the Russian drone and other military attacks. So why is Israel refusing to come to Ukraine’s aid when the US, Britain, France, Germany, Poland and other countries come to Ukraine’s aid with needed military weapons?
Israel claimed that if they arm Ukraine, Russia will possibly prevent or inhibit Jewish emigration from Russia based on a court case recently filed in Russia against the Jewish Agency, which aids Russian Jews to emigrate. But the World Jewish Congress estimates that there are between 56,000 and 140,000 Jews in Ukraine, and as everyone knows President Zelensky is Jewish. In fact, Ukraine has the fourth largest Jewish population in Europe. So, while Israel refuses to provide arms to Ukraine including defensive systems, up to 140,000 Jewish Ukrainians may be in jeopardy of being killed or wounded by Russia’s Iranian drones and they will have a miserable winter.
One would think that saving the lives of Jews in Ukraine might be more critically important than being concerned about a recently filed court case in Russia.
Israel’s other concern is Syria, but events there are even more difficult to comprehend. Israel regularly fires rockets and sends attack planes into Syria to prevent Iran from getting a toehold in an area close to Israel’s northeast border. Russia introduced its S-300 air defense system in the Syrian border area several years ago to protect Syria from Israeli air attacks. But due to Putin’s losses in Ukraine, it has recently moved the S-300 defense system out of Syria to use it in Ukraine to protect Russian forces from Ukrainian attack, and Russia has moved significant numbers of its troops from Syria to Ukraine to bolster forces there.
So, one would think that the Russian movement of the S-300 from the Syrian border area and reduction of Russian troops there would make Israel more secure and more inclined to give arms and defensive systems to Ukraine.
But Benny Gantz, the Israeli Defense Minister recently said:
“Israel supports and stands with Ukraine. NATO and the West — this is something we have said in the past and repeat today. This being said, I would like to emphasize that Israel will not deliver weapon systems to Ukraine due to a variety of operational considerations.”
If that wasn’t strong enough of a statement of non-support by Israel, then last Monday Dimitri Medvedev, the former president of Russia when he played musical chairs with Putin as president and prime minister, warned Israel against any “reckless” supply of military aid to Ukraine. Mr. Medvedev wrote on social media, “It will destroy all interstate relations between our countries.”
With Iranian supplied drones being used by Russia to attack Ukraine on a daily basis and civilians having to hide in subway stations and other areas for protection, one would think the Israelis could deploy their short range Iron Dome they use for protection from Palestinian rockets and its longer range Barak 8 system to Ukraine. But Benny Gantz said no defensive weapons systems are going to Ukraine and there has been no governmental move to change Israel’s position.
Zelensky fights the brave battle against Russia, but here the Jewish State of Israel denies the Jewish president of Ukraine the weapons systems he needs to deter and reverse Russian aggression which has killed Jews in Ukraine.
Apparently NEVER AGAIN does not mean Never Again for Israeli leadership.