Netanyahu Says Israel Is Considering Sending Its Iron Dome Air Defense System To Ukraine

File Image: Israeli Iron Dome 

Insider: Israel is considering sending its Iron Dome air defense system to Ukraine, Netanyahu says 

* Israel is looking into sending its Iron Dome system to Ukraine, Prime Minister Netanyahu said. 

* Israel has a complex relationship with Russia and has so far held off aiding Ukraine militarily. 

* But Netanyahu now says he is open to considering Ukraine's request. 

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his government is considering sending its Iron Dome to Ukraine. 

The Iron Dome is arguably the world's most advanced missile defense system, designed to intercept barrages of rockets and artillery shells. 

In an interview with French TV outlets TF1 and LCI broadcast on Sunday, Netanyahu was asked about sending the missile defense system to Ukraine, in response to the country's continuing appeals for military support. 

He told the interviewer: "I'm looking into it. I said I'm looking into it and I'm doing just that," echoing a statement he made to CNN last week. 

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Update #1: Iron Dome For Ukraine? Israeli PM Netanyahu Considers Arming Kyiv With One Of World’s Best Defense Systems -- EurAsian Times 

Update #2: Israel considers supplying Ukraine with Iron Dome air defense system: Netanyahu -- Anadolu Agency 

 WNU Editor: Ukraine is confident that they will be getting this anti-missile system .... Reznikov: Israel promised to provide Ukraine with missile and drone alert system (Kyiv Independent). Russia is issuing a warning to Netanyahu .... Russia Warns Israel Against Supplying Arms to Ukraine (Moscow Times).

Ukraine Issues Demands To Israel Ahead Of Key Visit To Kyiv By The Israeli Foreign Minister

 

Times of Israel: Ukraine said to demand Israel denounce Russia ahead of visit by foreign minister 

Kyiv also reportedly says government must agree to treat wounded soldiers, loan $500 million and more, with meeting between Eli Cohen and Zelensky hanging in balance Kyiv has formulated a list of demands it wants fulfilled by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen ahead of an expected visit to Ukraine, among them a public denunciation of the Russian invasion and hundreds of millions of dollars in loans. 

The requests, which also include an expression of support for the country’s territorial integrity, medical treatment in Israel and the development of anti-missile technology, fall short of previous asks Kyiv has made for defensive weaponry, but may still force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government into an uncomfortable stance as it seeks to navigate between the warring allies.  

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Update #1: Ukraine makes major demands from Israel in preparation for FM visit -- Jerusalem Post  

Update #2: Ukraine lays out demands for Israel ahead of key visit to Kyiv -- Axios  

Update #3: Ukraine said to demand Israel denounce Russia, as foreign minister due to visit Kyiv (Times of Israel)  

WNU Editor: The demands include money ($500 million loan to the Ukrainian government), weapons, access to anti-missile technology, support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and a public denouncement of Russia.

Israel's New Foreign Minister Signals Policy Shift On Ukraine

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen delivers his inaugural speech to Israel’s diplomats at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, January 2, 2023. (Lazar Berman/The Times of Israel)  

Times Of Israel: In 1st speech, Foreign Minister Cohen hails US, EU ties, vows to ‘talk less’ on Ukraine 

In his inaugural speech to Foreign Ministry staff, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen says that Israel’s relationship with the US “stands at the top of our priorities.” 

“There is no replacement for Israel-US ties,” he says. 

"This is a long-term strategic partnership based first and foremost on shared values and on interests that we share.” 

He is scheduled to speak with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after the Foreign Ministry welcoming ceremony.  

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Update #1: New Foreign Minister Signals Policy Shift on Ukraine (Hamodia)

Update #2: Israel signals Ukraine policy shift (RT)  

WNU Editor: The only message that I am getting from Israel's new foreign minister is him basically saying that the Russia - Ukraine war is not Israel's top priority.

Ukraine Backs UN Vote To Send Israel To The International Court of Justice (ICJ) For Crimes Against Humanity

🇺🇦 Ukraine: Begs Israel to provide it with advanced offensive weapons

🇺🇦 Also Ukraine: Votes in the UN to take Israel to International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity 🤣

You can't make this up 🤡 pic.twitter.com/srdt26qzpc

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) November 13, 2022

The Media Line: Ukraine’s UN Vote To Take Israel to International Court Further Strains Ties 

Ukraine voted for an International Court of Justice investigation into Israel’s “occupation” against the backdrop of Israel's refusal to provide it with weapons to fight Russia 

A vote at the United Nations General Assembly has further strained relations between Israel and Ukraine. 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned the Ukrainian ambassador over his country’s vote against Israel at the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee on Friday on a resolution request titled “Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories.”  

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Update #1: Israel angered as Ukraine backs UN resolution seeking ICJ opinion on occupation (New Arab)  

Update #2: Ukraine Backs UN Vote To Send Israel To International Court While Begging For Arms (Zero Hedge)  

WNU editor: The optics of asking Israel for advance weapons while supporting a resolution that says Israel should be investigated for "crimes against humanity" are terrible.

Ukraine Official Says Israeli PM Bennett Told Ukrainian President Zelenksy That He Should Take Putin's Offer To End The War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky talks during an interview with Reuters in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 1, 2022. (photo credit: UMIT BEKTAS/REUTERS)

Jerusalem Post: Bennett advises Zelensky to surrender to Russia, Zelensky refuses 

Vladimir Putin made an offer to end the Russian war with Ukraine, but the offer includes many Ukrainian sacrifices. 

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy that he recommends Ukraine take the offer made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war - which includes many Ukrainian sacrifices - in a phone call on Tuesday, according to an official in Ukraine's government. According to the official, Zelenksy did not take Bennett's advice. 

The source claimed that the phone call was initiated by Bennett. "If I were you, I would think about the lives of my people and take the offer," Bennett reportedly said. 

Zelenksy's response was short. "I hear you," he said.  

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Update #1: Ukrainian official: Bennett told Zelensky he should take Putin's proposal to end war (Axios)  

Update #2: 'Bennett Wants Ukraine to Surrender': Ukraine Senior Official Says Israel's Mediation Is Useless (Haaretz)  

WNU Editor: I suspect Russian President Putin told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on what would happen if the war continues, and the Israeli PM communicated this discussion to the Ukrainian President and gave his recommendation. 

Will the Ukrainian President be willing to prolong the war even if it means the destruction of his country, the burning of his cities, and the dislocation of half of the population in the coming months? Coupled with the sure break-up of the country along a Yugoslav model? I think we are going to know the answer to these questions very soon, but for now the Ukraine President is all-in.

Israel Halts Iron Dome Sale To Ukraine To Avoid Kremlin Backlash

An Israeli soldier hangs a flag at a position in the southern city of Ashkelon, near an Iron Dome missile defence system, 15 May 2021 (AFP)  

Middle East Eye: Israel halted Ukraine Iron Dome sale to avoid 'crisis with Russia'  

Ukrainian officials reportedly 'disappointed' as Tel Aviv wary of riling up Russians in Syria 

Israel refused to provide Ukraine with batteries for its Iron Dome's short-range missile interceptor in order to avoid a crisis with Russia, according to Israeli news website Ynet. 

Before Russian troops began deploying to the country's Ukrainian border, Kyiv formerly asked Washington for surface-to-air missiles and to pressure Israel to sell it the Iron Dome. 

But Israel informed US officials during "informal talks" that it would not approve the sale to Ukraine as it risks harming ties with Russia. 

The date of the talks was not specified. Israel is wary of getting on the wrong side of Russia, a key ally to the government of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.  

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WNU Editor: There are over a million Russian Jews living in Israel and they have family back in Russia. The Israeli government is not going to jeopardize this relationship. 

 Israel Halts Iron Dome Sale To Ukraine To Avoid Kremlin Backlash  

Israel torpedoed sale of Iron Dome to Ukraine, fearing Russian reaction — report -- Times of Israel  

Israel refuses sale of Iron Dome missile defense system to Ukraine -- YNet News  

Israel Suspends US-Ukraine Iron Dome Deal Fearing Moscow Backlash, Reports Say -- Sputnik