Russia has expressed its annoyance at the statements of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a press interview that we are studying sending military aid to Ukraine, after US and Ukrainian calls for Israel to be more involved and active in providing the necessary support, as Russia threatened Israel with a retaliation if it delivered weapons to Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine last February, Israel has adopted a cautious stance towards Moscow in an effort to preserve relations between the two countries. Israel has also refused repeated requests from Ukraine to supply it with heavy weapons, including air defense systems and military equipment, at a time when Israel has refrained Agree to impose economic sanctions on Russia.
Netanyahu’s hints about the possibility of providing military aid to Ukraine come after dissatisfaction with the escalation of Russian cooperation with Iran, in the wake of Iran’s continued supply of drones and precision missiles to Russia, in addition to Russia’s transfer of American Javelin anti-tank missiles that it controlled to Iran, which threatens to transfer these missiles. To Hezbollah and allies in the region.
Israel is reviewing its policies
An Israeli military source said that there are officials within the Israeli Ministry of Defense and intelligence who want to know whether Israel can help Ukraine militarily without causing a conflict with Russia, by allowing third parties to transfer some Israeli-made systems to Ukraine, especially since the Netanyahu government insists on Reviewing its policies regarding Russian military intervention in Ukraine, and the possibility of providing Kyiv with defense systems and weapons.
Can Israel help Ukraine militarily without causing a rift with Russia?
The Hebrew newspaper “Ediot Ahronot” reported that Moscow was following up on information about American shipments of ammunition that left Israel to Ukraine, after information was received about a secret agreement that took place between American and Israeli officials a few days ago, providing for Ukraine to supply artillery shells from American stocks in Israeli warehouses to Ukraine. Kyiv.
The newspaper indicated that the new government is in the process of adopting a different policy than its predecessors, with regard to the ongoing war in Ukraine, in contrast to the Lapid and Bennett government regarding the position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which makes matters open to all expected and unexpected scenarios in the coming period.
Informational statements only
Commenting on this, writer and expert on Israeli affairs, Shaker Shabat, says, “Netanyahu’s hints of studying the matter with regard to supporting Ukraine with military aid are informational rather than serious, especially since Netanyahu will not want to anger Moscow and will continue to maintain relations with the two countries, in light of Israel’s efforts.” Ensuring the continued activity of the Jewish Agency in Russia, which sponsors thousands of Jews.
Israel is trying, at this particular time, to please the United States and not fall into embarrassment with itIn his interview with Hafryat, he explains that “Benjamin Netanyahu has a strong friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the hint of studying sending military aid to Ukraine stems from two things. The other is Israel’s objection to the mutual military cooperation between Iran and Russia, given that this cooperation violates Security Council resolutions, in addition to Israel’s investment in Iran’s intervention in the war by drawing Western condemnation against it.
He points out that “Israel realizes that Russia is one of the central powers in the world, and it has strong influence in the Middle East, specifically with those whom Israel calls enemies. Therefore, Israel finds itself obligated to maintain joint coordination with Russia, in anticipation of any clash that would harm Israel’s security.” .
It is believed that “any attempt by Israel to provoke Russia will negatively affect the security understandings between Russia and Israel regarding freedom of military action in Syria, especially since the Russians maintain a military force in Syria, which may lead to strengthening Iranian influence and accelerate the transfer of arms shipments from Tehran.” to Hezbollah.
Balanced stance
As for the writer and specialist in security and military affairs, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Ajrami, he stated that “the new Israeli government, led by Netanyahu, will take a balanced position on the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, and will work to provide defense aid to Ukraine in a way that will not lead to hostility with Russia, while remaining neutral regarding the vote on imposing sanctions on Moscow.
He added, in his interview with Hafriyat, that “Israel is disturbed by the growing Russian-Iranian cooperation, and this may push Netanyahu to provide military assistance to Ukraine, in light of the spread of talk about the emergence of Iranian drones on the battlefield in Ukraine, which changed the course of the battle, in addition to the possibility of supplying Iran with military equipment.” Russia with surface-to-surface missiles, and Iran exploiting the war arena to test and develop missiles.”
He pointed out that “Israel is trying, at this particular time, to please the United States and not fall into embarrassment with it, in order to maintain security and military support while Israel continues to launch strikes against Iran’s strongholds in Syria, as happened recently in precision missile manufacturing facilities in the city of Isfahan.” Iran, in coordination with the United States, aims to prevent Iran from reaching a nuclear state, and Israel’s need for security cooperation with America, in light of raising the state of alert in all military units, in anticipation of Iran launching a retaliatory attack against Israel.
Iran control
The military expert believes that “Israel may back down from sending military aid for fear of the arrival of military systems and weapons to Iran, and this is what Russia revealed regarding sending American missiles that it seized to Iran in exchange for obtaining planes and drones, and thus Iran benefits in researching and copying Israeli military technology.”
It is noteworthy that Israel, since the beginning of the Russian war, has followed a policy of supporting Ukraine through humanitarian aid and the transfer of life-saving defense equipment, including helmets and protective vests, while Israel refrains with a high degree of caution from supplying Ukraine with military aid, in order to preserve the existing security understandings between the two sides.
Source: Harfyat
