Ukrainian forces are attacked by the Russian army in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk (Telegram)
The government is re-examining Israeli policy towards the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the possibility of supplying defensive weapon systems to Ukraine, according to three senior Israeli officials.
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why is it important
Israel is under increasing pressure from the Biden administration, Democratic and Republican congressmen and other governments in the West to provide military aid such as missile defense systems to Ukraine.
So far, Israel has rejected most of the American and Ukrainian requests to supply defensive weapons to Ukraine and this against the background of the fear that the Gaza move will create tensions with Russia and harm Israeli security interests in Syria.
More in Walla!
The US asked Israel for old "Hawk" anti-aircraft missiles to transfer to Ukraine
To the full article
Will he receive weapons from Israel?
Zelensky (Photo: Reuters)
The big picture
The establishment of the new government in Israel has raised concerns in Washington that it is about to take a more pro-Russian line and this against the background of the close relationship Prime Minister Netanyahu had with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Behind the Scenes
Shortly after his return to the position of Prime Minister, Netanyahu directed a re-examination of Israeli policy towards the war between Russia and Ukraine, so they told Walla!
Senior Israeli officials.
According to them, the policy review is carried out under the leadership of the National Security Headquarters in the Prime Minister's Office with the involvement of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mossad.
On Monday, Netanyahu informed US Secretary of State Tony Blinken that Israel is reexamining the policy and made it clear that the government under his leadership will do no less than the previous government in terms of aid and support to Ukraine, according to a senior Israeli official.
According to the senior official, after the series of visits by Biden administration officials to Israel in the last two weeks, the United States understands that Netanyahu "does not intend to move the needle in Russia's direction."
the situation picture
In recent weeks, the Biden administration has asked Israel to give the old "Hawk" anti-aircraft missiles that are out of operational use and are in IDF warehouses, in order to transfer them to Ukraine.
A senior Israeli official said that there is a growing group of senior officials in the defense establishment and the intelligence community who believe that Israel should change its policy and provide military aid to Ukraine in ways that will not tear the rope with Russia.
For example, giving permission to third countries to transfer to Ukraine certain Israeli weapons systems in their possession.
The senior Israeli official noted, however, that it is very likely that the re-examination of the policy will not end in a decision to make a dramatic change and certainly no decision will be made to supply Ukraine with advanced Israeli weapon systems directly.
What next
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Blinken during his visit to Israel that he intends to visit Kiev in the near future, meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitri Kolba and reopen the Israeli embassy in the country.
This will be the first visit by an Israeli minister to Kiev since the Russian invasion and the first visit by a foreign minister from the Middle East.
In the coming weeks, the heads of the Israeli-Ukrainian Friendship Association of the Knesset MK Yuli Edelstein and MK Zev Elkin are also expected to visit Kyiv.
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Political-political
Tags
Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky
Russia
Benjamin Netanyahu
