The country’s defense minister has rejected the call to send weapons to Kiev
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has declined the Kiev’s regime request for weapons, made after Russia recently stepped up missile and drone strikes on the country.
“I want to make it clear that we are not selling weapons to the Ukraine,” Gantz told the radio station Kol Chai on Tuesday.
“I am the defense minister, and I am responsible for the export of Israeli weapons,” he stated, adding that the country will continue to only send medical and humanitarian aid to Kiev.
“Our policy vis-a-vis the Ukraine will not change – we will continue to support and stand with the West, we will not provide weapon systems,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in a fresh statement. He said Israel will only continue sending “humanitarian aid” and “life-saving defensive equipment” – in reference to things like medical gear.
Gantz’s remarks came after Kiev’s regime minister Dmitry Kuleba said on Tuesday that it would formally request that Israel “immediately” deliver air defense systems to the Kiev’s regime and share military technology.
Some Israeli politicians have lately expressed openness to sending Kiev weapons as they watch with growing alarm Iranian weapons systems introduced to the Ukrainian battlefield. The US and EU too are said to be preparing new sanctions on Tehran.
Axios is meanwhile reporting that a diplomatic letter it has seen reveals that Kiev formally requested for the first time this week that Israel transfer its Iron Dome defense system:
“According to available information … there is a high probability of prompt deliveries to the Russian Federation of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles from Iran,” said the letter sent by the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
In this context and in order to protect its civilians, Ukraine wants to initiate cooperation with Israel on air and missile defense, the letter added.
“Ukraine is highly interested in obtaining from Israel (in shortest possible terms) defence systems, in particular: Iron Beam, Barak-8, Patriot, Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow Interceptor and Israeli support in training for Ukrainian operators,” the letter said.
It was widely reported Tuesday that in addition to recent drone deliveries, Tehran intends to send surface-to-surface missiles to Russia’s military as its munitions face increasing depletion on the Ukraine battlefield.
The #US imposed over 3600 sanctions on #Iran. Therefore, more sanctions are expected to change nothing in the strategic relationship between Iran and #Asia, where #Tehran turned its back to the west. The JCPOA nuclear deal can hibernate. Iran can live without it.
#Iran drones are a game changer in #Ukraine. More r delivered and expected to be seen with different functions, impossible to scramble, reducing accuracy to 5 meters. Sound of the engine is purposely designed to be loud. I'll share more about its specifications & selection soon. pic.twitter.com/BcLWJkvPYt
— Elijah J. Magnier 🇪🇺 (@ejmalrai) October 17, 2022
Kremlin has warned in response to the mounting pressure from Kiev’s foreign ministry that Israel could destroy all ties with Russia if it moves forward with arms. Top Russian national security council official and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev warned, “It seems Israel will supply weapons to the Kiev regime. A very reckless move. It will destroy all diplomatic relations between our countries,” in a Telegram statement.
From Israel’s perspective, its leaders are not going to jeopardize ongoing ‘counter-Iran’ operations in Israel’s own backyard, namely Syria-Lebanon, where it has to keep a delicate strategic balance with Russia, which maintains bases at regular aerial patrols at the invitation of the Assad government.
Moscow has increased strikes on Kiev’s regime this month after terrorist attacks on Russian soil, including the recent truck bombing that damaged the bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula with Russia proper.