Israel will co-sponsor a U.S. and Albanian United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said Monday.
“Israel was and is on the right side of history,” Lapid said in a statement. “We have a moral duty and historical obligation to be part of the effort.”
The move comes days after Israel upset the U.S. by refusing to co-sponsor a similar resolution at the U.N. Security Council. Monday’s special emergency session was only the 11th one of its kind in United Nations history.
Lapid added, however, that “even our American allies realize we have to be careful [because] Russia is the significant military force in Syria.”
Israel is one of few Western democracies that is an ally of both Russia and Ukraine and has been cautious about taking sides since Moscow’s invasion. Russia also has heavy military presence in Syria and controls its skies and as such, Jerusalem coordinates all military strikes on Iranian targets in Syria with Moscow.
In addition, both Ukraine and Russia have large Jewish communities and Israel sees itself as a protector of Jews in the Diaspora.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog review a guard of honour ahead of their meeting at Mariinskyi Palace in Kiev on October 5, 2021. Isaac Herzog arrived to Ukraine with state visit to mark the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar (or Babin Yar) massacre, one of the largest mass murders of Jews during World War II. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
“Russia is the most significant military force in Syria, and our mechanism of cooperation with them is aiding our determined struggle against the establishment of an Iranian [presence] on our northern border,” Lapid said.
He added that Israel would continue to commit to sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine. On Monday and Tuesday, planeloads of supplies including clothing, blankets, water purification systems and medical equipment will head to the war-torn country.
According to Lapid, more than 4,000 Israelis have already left Ukraine. However, there are still thousands left in the country who have been instructed to return to Israel by land. The war claimed its first Israeli casualty on Monday evening, when a convoy of people fleeing the country was hit by Russian fire near Kyiv.
Two orthodox Jews are seen arriving are seen arriving at the Medyka pedestrian border crossing in eastern Poland on February 25, 2022, fleeing the conflict in their country, one day after Russia launched a military attack on its neighbour Ukraine. (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
More than 5,000 Ukrainian Jews have requested immediate immigration to Israel. According to Lapid, around 180,000 Ukrainians are entitled to Israeli citizenship if they choose.
“Ukraine is a difficult battle zone, but we are committed to a sacred principle — we will do everything not to leave any Israeli behind, any Jew behind. This is the reason the Jewish state exists. This is our commitment,” he said.
A day earlier, Lapid warned cabinet ministers not to help Russian-Jewish oligarchs targeted by international sanctions, Axios reported.
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