Western nations are increasingly arming Ukraine against its Russian invaders, and they want Israel to join in by providing Kyiv with advanced anti-missile technologies.
On the ground, Ukraine is pushing back Russian forces in the east of the country. But Moscow is retaliating by hitting cities across Ukraine with deadly missile and suicide drone bombardments.
Israel has developed some of the most advanced anti-missile technology in the world, including its vaunted Iron Dome and Arrow systems.
Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai believes it is time for Israel to stop sitting on the fence and provide these life-saving arms to Ukraine.
“There is no longer any doubt where Israel should stand in this bloody conflict. The time has come for Ukraine to receive military aid as well, just as the US and NATO countries provide,” he tweeted on Sunday.
This morning it was reported that Iran is transferring ballistic missiles to Russia. There is no longer any doubt where Israel should stand in this bloody conflict. The time has come for Ukraine to receive military aid as well, just as the USA and NATO countries provide.
— נחמן שי- Nachman Shai (@DrNachmanShai) October 16, 2022
The government of Prime Minister Yair Lapid immediately moved to distance itself from Shai’s remarks. Unnamed government sources told various Hebrew media outlets that the call to arm Ukraine does not reflect official Israeli policy.
Israel is reportedly concerned after Russia’s former president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday warned that for the Jewish state to provide Ukraine with weapons would destroy Israel-Russia relations.
“It seems Israel will supply weapons to the Kyiv regime. A very reckless move. It will destroy all diplomatic relations between our countries,” Medvedev posted on social media.
Shai is not alone in wanting Israel to finally take a firm stand in support of Ukraine and against the Russian invasion. Many are noting that Russia is now being supplied with suicide drones by Israel’s arch-nemesis Iran. Those drones have killed dozens so far in Ukraine, and could be easily intercepted by Israel’s missile shield technologies.
Others caution that Iran is using Ukraine as a testing ground for these suicide drones, and will later try to deploy them against Israel from bases in Lebanon and Syria. Should Israel upset Moscow, it could lose the ability to act unmolested in the skies over Lebanon and especially Syria, where Russian forces are heavily deployed.
As usual, Israel finds itself in a tricky situation. And once again, the great powers of the world seem disproportionately focused on what tiny Israel will do amidst a conflict far from its own borders.
