As of: February 6, 2024, 4:26 a.m
By: Kathrin Reikowski
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Israel's ambassador to Russia criticizes the Kremlin for its stance on Hamas.
Moscow itself is now making its own accusations.
Moscow – “I have only been here for a month and have just started meeting with my colleagues – Russian diplomats.
I will hardly be able to hide from you that we have different opinions on many issues,” said the new Israeli ambassador to Russia, Simone Halperin, in an interview with the Russian daily
Kommersant
on Sunday (February 4).
Halperin has been in office since January.
One day after the interview, she was summoned by the Russian Foreign Ministry from Vladimir Putin's government for her critical words.
In the same interview, she had said: "For example, Russia's position in the United Nations is absolutely unacceptable for Israel," but added: "But I really believe in open and direct dialogue."
Kommersant
is a Russian daily newspaper that has long been considered critical of the government was valid.
Since it was bought by oligarch Alisher Usmanov, it has become less critical, according to the
Eurotopics
portal .
Halperin herself says she spent her early childhood in Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) and is enthusiastic about Moscow as a dazzling city.
Israeli ambassador criticizes Russia for stance on Israel and Hamas
In her criticism of Russia's Israel policy, Halperin wants to distinguish between before and after October 7th: “The Russian leadership, including at the presidential level, has repeatedly stated that Israel's security is a strategic interest of Russia.
Unfortunately, after October 7, we saw that this principle is no longer relevant.”
She continued: “It seems to me that the Russian leadership did not fully understand that we were in a different, terrible reality.
Iran-backed Hamas carried out a brutal, inhumane attack.
They burned down houses and their inhabitants, killed women, old people and children.
More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed and more than 240 taken hostage, of which 136 are still in the hands of Hamas.”
Simona Halperin, Israel's ambassador to Russia.
© Mikhail Sinitsyn/Imago
Russia has a list of banned terrorist organizations, which includes the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is “the Palestinian branch.”
But Hamas has not been banned.
“Hamas members are welcomed in Moscow, hugged and carpets are rolled out for them.
We can't understand it.” It also took some time for Russia to publicly condemn the “attack,” calling it a terrorist attack and mentioning Hamas.
Russian government summons Israeli ambassador one day after critical interview
As
Kommersant
reported on Monday, Halperin has now been summoned by the Russian government.
Her interview represented “an extremely unsuccessful start to a diplomatic mission,” while the goal “should be the development of bilateral relations in the interests of the peoples of both countries.” She is accused of: “The theses that the Holocaust was only the annihilation of the Jewish people “The UN resolution from 2022 recalled the murder of people of Jewish origin, but also the murder of people of “other nationalities and minorities and other groups”.
Halperin did not explicitly rule out this in the interview - rather, she emphasized the shared past of Russia and Jewish people in the fight against Hitler's Germany.
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The idea of the need for changes in Russia's “state calendar,” as Halperin said, “borders on interference in internal affairs.”
Halperin spoke “disrespectfully” “about the efforts (...) that Russia is making in its contacts to help clarify the fate of the hostages.”
Halperin's accusation was: “It is important that we agree and want to interact.
In addition, there are issues that do not cause disagreement and on which we can work together.
“This is, for example, a joint effort to release all hostages remaining in the hands of Hamas.”
Israel's ambassador misses Russia's condemnation of Hezbollah at UN
Another point of criticism from the Israeli ambassador: “We are also very concerned about the situation throughout our region, where Iran is inciting Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, which are hindering free navigation in the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, which is jeopardizing the stability of the country Undermines world trade and leads to rising prices.
But we don't hear a word of condemnation from Russia in the UN Security Council.” Halperin himself didn't say a empathetic word about the victims on the Palestinian side in the interview.
International media now speak of up to 27,000 people killed, and up to 85 percent of all those living in the Gaza Strip have been displaced.
And the last resorts are no longer there as the fighting in the south is expanding.
She talks about how Israel's government has been unable to reach "unity with Palestinians" in the past and that international aid money has been spent on "tunnels and weapons" in the Gaza Strip.
“We are not against the creation of a Palestinian state.
(...) However, this discussion can only begin when Hamas no longer poses an immediate threat to the Israeli people.”
Regarding the Ukraine war, Halperin said in the interview: “Israel has supported the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and will continue to do so.
We provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and have opened a field hospital there.
This position has remained unchanged since the beginning of hostilities.” According to
Kommersant
, there was no warning from the Russian Foreign Ministry about this.
(cat)