Since Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th and the war became total, relations between Jerusalem and Kiev have seen ups and downs - and mainly rebellions.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tried to mediate but in vain, Yair Lapid, another foreign minister, condemned Russia following the massacres in the Kyiv region, and Israel even sent a field hospital to Lviv.
On the other hand, and to the dismay of the elite in Kiev, it rejected all requests for military aid, including aid intended solely for the protection of civilians.
Recently, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said in an interview with the French media: "I am shocked, Israel did not give us anything. I do not understand why they did not give us air defense systems. Israel did not provide us with anything. Nothing. Zero."
However, it seems that recently there have been probings in the military field as well - and this against the background of the supply of UAVs from Tehran to Moscow. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said a few days ago to the Interfax-Ukraine agency: "We turned to our partners, especially those who are afraid to transfer weapons to us, but without good expertise in the field, and I said: We will give you the parts of the UAVs, study them and bring us systems to disrupt UAVs.
And several countries, who did not want to give us weapons, expressed interest in the proposal."
"The class is changing".
Ambassador of Ukraine in Israel, photo: Dima Kanter
"The difference between Israel's position and all the western democratic countries is that Israel is the only one that does not openly provide military aid to Ukraine," Ambassador Kornichuk tells Israel Today, "I don't want to say things that are not usually talked about, although the president's words say a lot . But publicly, Israel does not do this. In order for Israel to start providing defense equipment to Ukraine openly, the strategic concept, dating back to the days before Netanyahu, in which Russia is seen as a friend and partner, needs to be changed. This concept is difficult to dismantle, at least as long as there is no stable government."
It is impossible not to notice that you emphasize that Israel is not helping openly.
"I can neither confirm nor deny."
Because claims of assistance behind the scenes exist.
"Russia's rapprochement with Iran is a very significant factor that can change the current situation. We were warned a long time ago that Iran has not bad drones, even before the signing of contracts (between Russia and Tehran) and said that they are dangerous and carry significant payloads.
This is a threat to Israel, and Israel is very interested in the experience gained in Ukraine in dealing with UAVs. Therefore, in my opinion, the situation will change when a new government is formed, either because the support of the majority of Israeli society in Ukraine will be expressed, or because of the strengthening of relations between Russia and Iran, which is critical for Israel. We are grateful for the bandages and tourniquets that Israel provided, but we will not win the war using bandages."
In the last week and a half, it seems that there has been a slight warming in the tense relations between Kyiv and Jerusalem.
Israel received two out of twenty wounded Ukrainian fighters, who will undergo publicly funded rehabilitation, and when Russia held "referendums" in the occupied territories in Ukraine, Israel announced that it would not recognize the annexation.
"We didn't expect anything less than this from our partners," Kornichuk says regarding the non-recognition of the annexation, "It was a necessary step, although we drew the attention of our colleagues that it is better to take a stand."
"One of the things that is not clear to me is why Israel did not grant us a government loan of half a billion dollars," says the ambassador, "More than 20 countries have granted us such government loans. What is preventing this? You have ministers who are responsible for the issue, and they have declared neutrality theirs in relation to the war in Ukraine. On this neutrality, Emmanuel Macron said: 'Countries that call themselves neutral are actually partners of the Russian Federation.'"
Do you mean Finance Minister Lieberman who said "I'm not for Ukraine or Russia, I'm for Israel" - or the government?
"He spoke on behalf of the government, I assume. However, I recently met with Minister Horowitz and he said completely different things, much more pleasant to the ear."
Maybe there is simply no clear position.
"Everyone says they speak on behalf of the government. Maybe I don't understand something. What is certain is that the question of the loan has been stuck in the Ministry of Finance and all my requests to meet have been met with refusal. This is a special pro-Israel position of Lieberman who is not even willing to meet. He is the only minister with whom I have no possibility to meet, And so I need to convey messages through the media. It seems to me that this 'intelligent pro-Israeli' position is nothing more than manipulation that results from the fact that some Israeli politicians are trying in this way to cooperate with Russia, the aggressor country, against Iran, which is also an aggressor country. But I think that the rapprochement of Russia And Iran will put to God the attempts to maintain special treatment for the terrorist state (Russia; Div).
Russia shot itself in the foot, in my opinion."
Lieberman.
Not ready to meet, photo: Koko
You spoke earlier about the stability that can only be expected after the elections. And here, very recently, the chairman of the opposition, MK Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed a desire to "assist in finding a solution to the tragedy in Ukraine."
"I don't take it upon myself to interpret his statement. I'm just drawing your attention to the fact that when the politicians express a desire to help, they talk about what's happening in Ukraine as a natural disaster, as if a tsunami hit us and not that Russia attacked us. Only Yair Lapid, being the foreign minister, allowed himself to call Russia an aggressor, but recently, for example, he was among the few speakers during the UN assembly who did not mention the war in Ukraine at all.
On the other hand, we should say a good word to Netanyahu who, even when he was prime minister and before February 24, sought to find ways of reconciliation between Ukraine and Russia.
These attempts were unsuccessful.
We wanted to use him as an intermediary."
And after February 24 did you contact him?
"The only thing he said about the war was the statement you mentioned about the 'tragedy'. Before that, he only criticized Bennett for devoting too much time to the war. I think this does not help Israel's interests."
"I don't see strategic thinking in the Israeli politicians," Kornichuk adds, "everything goes on from day to day. Not everyone even thinks about tomorrow. Everyone understands that Ukraine will win this war and remain Ukraine. What then? Tell us how much we helped, and how many are now willing to help with reconstruction? In practice, if you think strategically, at least a year or two ahead, it seems that there are more arguments in favor of aid to Ukraine. Russia is in any case degenerating into the abyss of the most despicable regimes. It will be a long and inevitable process, while Ukraine's status in the world is changing. Now is the moment of truth, the moment when friends are discovered. Everyone makes their choice."
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