NOTE: Al Jazeera published my analysis of Israel’s disappointing stance toward Ukraine and the Russian invasion. Last week, the New Arab published another piece of mine on social media censorship of speech on Palestine. It focused on my personal battle with Reddit, where a pro-Israel administrator permanently banned me.
Today, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Israel’s Knesset (full transcript here) …in a manner of speaking. When Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel first proposed such a speech, the Knesset leadership was reluctant to rock the boat, since the official government line was to maintain neutrality in the Russo-Ukraine war. The Speaker told the ambassador he could not convene the full plenum since the body was in recess and the building itself was undergoing renovations. You would think that for a country desperately staving off destruction at the hands of an invader, Israel could make allowances and convene the entire body somewhere.
Ukraine’s ambassador refused this option and things remained in a stalemate. Apparently, it was broken because today Zelensky did address the Knesset, albeit via Zoom with members dispersed in their homes around the country. His address shows why the Knesset leadership was reluctant to host Zelensky, to begin with. He forcefully made a case for Israeli support against the Russian aggressors. He used every tool at his disposal including Jewish history and especially the Holocaust. He told his audience that just as Israel was birthed in the shadow of that horrible genocide, so his country faced the same peril. He asked how Israel could stand by in silence.

Israel has one of the most advanced weapons industry in the world and is ranked eighth as a global arms exporter. Why, Zelensky asked, are you refusing to arm us? An even more pointed approach would remind the Knesset of the Jewish partisans fighting the Nazis with makeshift weapons, and often abandoned to their own devices. What if the major allied powers had offered the arms they needed to take on the Nazis in full force? Consider the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943. The Polish government in exile stood by and did nothing to help. It wasn’t till 1944 that the Polish resistance mounted it own uprising which eventually led to a Soviet advance and capture of the city. What if those valiant fighters had been fully and properly supported?
One of the most effective weapons, and entirely defensive in nature, would be the Iron Dome system, which protects Israel from a considerable number of Hamas and Hezbollah rockets. But Israel refuses to sell it to Ukraine, again in order not to offend Putin. He is already enraged to see his warplanes, helicopters and missiles shot down by Javelins and other NATO weaponry. To offer Ukraine yet another tool to defend itself would be too much for Putin. Apparently, for Israel’s timorous leaders lacking a moral spine, it’s also a bridge too far.
A few Israeli politicians were enraged by Zelensky invoking the Holocaust. How dare a foreign leader tell Israelis what their obligation was to his country. using the Holocaust to instill guilt. How dare Zelensky argue that the Nazi Holocaust was not unique; but that in every generation, according to an ancient prayer, a genocide arises not only to destroy us, but to kill Cambodians, Armenians, Tutsi, Native Americans and Bosnians and yes, Palestinians.
In addition, Israel’s hypocrisy about exploiting the Holocaust to promote its own political interests is unsurpassed. Bibi Netanyahu was the worst offender, often warning that Iran plans to perpetrate a Holocaust, not just against Israel, but the entire Jewish people. Former Pres. Shimon Peres called an Iranian nuclear weapon a “flying Holocaust.” A former Israeli minister warned that intermarriage for American Jews constitutes a “second Holocaust.” If anything, Israel is the worst offender when it comes to abusing the Holocaust and the memory of the six-million.
Cowed by Putin
Russia has issued a “warning” to Israel against the Zelensky speech. The Russian ambassador said that it would make Israel “unbalanced” and threaten its role as mediator. It seems that Israel is one of the few nations in the world cowed by Russian thuggery.
PM Bennett has made much of his efforts to mediate the conflict. He offered to hold peace talks in Jerusalem. He went to Moscow to confer with Putin, then ferried a message to Ukraine which essentially told it to accede to Russian demands (according to the Ukrainian foreign minister). Or as a senior Ukrainian official said:
Bennett is basically telling us to surrender and we have no intention of doing that,” the senior Ukrainian official said.
Bennett has also explained Israel’s neutrality by claiming he can’t take sides if he hopes to mediate the conflict. But the truth is that Israel is a bystander when it comes to this war. It is a bit player. Russia, the US, NATO, China–they are the major powers who will determine the outcome.
It’s also pure chutzpah for the Israeli leader to claim a principled position regarding Ukraine. Israel’s foreign relations almost never include moral considerations; despite the fact that Jewish suffering throughout our history could have been avoided had outside parties intervened on behalf of moral values. Israel, on the other hand, acts solely based on narrow self-interest. Not to say other nations don’t do the same. But at least they make a pretense of including morality in their foreign policy calculations. That never happens as far as Israel is concerned.
Ukraine needs all the help it can get from any party willing. That’s why it desperately reaches out to Israel. Why would Bennett believe Russia values him and his intervention in any meaningful way? Putin does not need Israel. He has all the tanks and planes he needs. So Bennett’s apologetics don’t ring true.
You can’t remain neutral in the face of evil. Neutrality is another way of siding with the aggressor. As Ukraine said: they need bullets, not good wishes. As Zelensky said in his address:
Why are you busy with calculations [regarding Russia]? Mediating without taking sides? You can mediate — but not between good and evil. “
Israel has, unlike the EU, refused to impose sanctions on Russia and its multitude of oligarchs. There are many such figures in Israel who’ve bought sumptuous penthouses in Tel Aviv high rises. Not to mention their yachts and private jets flown to Israel to avoid confiscation by European states. Israel has refused to act both because it is under Russia’s thumb in Syria, and because of the enormous wealth the oligarchs have pumped into Israel’s economy. Keep in mind, that all these sparkling diamonds offered to Israel on a silver platter by these cut-throat thugs, are billions stolen from their victims or the Russian people. Using those ill-gotten gains to buy legitimate assets in the west launders the funds, transforming them from dark money to clean white cash.
Israel’s hypocrisy about exploiting the Holocaust to promote its own political interests is unsurpassed.
Particularly, regarding this “business” that Putin is selling about denazification. Israel’s leaders should be loud and clear about calling out that malicious lie/propaganda.
Israel is so disappointing. It’s a shining example of a country that started out so idealistically, crying out to this day “never again” that has lost its way. The country has become self-interested mainly or only in a global world that it expects a lot from including legitimization and respect. The “Jewish state” is compromised and corrupted also because of its culture of greed and hate that overpowers an original idealism.
Israel cannot help protect Ukraine because, at bottom, it has a forever war against Palestinians.
(Thank you)
Unbelievable!
https://twitter.com/NTarnopolsky/status/1503075436905041932
129 Israeli MKs and Cabinet Ministers listened to Zelensky, with the exception of the Joint List MKs who boycotted the speech to protest Ukraine being too pro-Israel.
Funny how Richard omits the fact the Joint List’s Israeli Arabs are the least supportive of Ukraine.
Anyway, Zelensky’s speech was broadcast in Tel Aviv’s Habima Square and attended by several hundred people, including Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and broadcast over all Israel’s news channels as well.
Zelensky, who has repeatedly praised Naphtali Bennett for Bennett’s extraordinary efforts to mediate, seems to be more understanding of Israel’s position than Richard is, and I quote:
“Of course, Israel has its interests, strategy to protect its citizens. We understand all of it,” said Zelensky, seated at a desk in his trademark khaki T-shirt.”
Oh, BTW, Richard, you criticize Israel for not giving Ukraine the Iron Dome, but reserve criticism of the United States for her failure to give Ukraine F-16 fighter jets (or MIGs).
@ Stoney:
You’re basing your claim on a statement by the Knesset itself, which has a vested interest in claiming this level of participation. I don’t trust the figure as far as I can throw it. Not to mention that 129 people dispersed all over Israel and not together in the Knesset itself, vastly diminished the impact on Israel itself. Instead of photos of all of the MKs sitting together and listening to Zelensky, there are no such images at all for newspapers & TV viewers. WHich is precisely what the Knesset & govt wanted.
I am not responsible for the decisions of the Joint List. Don’t try to make me responsible. They are adults and can explain their decisions themselves without my help. But I will say that I’m entirely sympathetic to the views of Palestinian concerning Israeli hypocrisy in supporting Ukraine while giving Palestinians the shiv. If that was all the Joint List said in boycotting the speech, I would have no problems with it.
Saying that Zelensky “praised” Bennett is the height of disingenuousness. Zelensky’s entire speech was a evisceration of Bennett’s approach. He didn’t say it explicitly, but didn’t have to. Everyone but you got the msg clearly. Bennett’s “efforts” are not extraordinary. They are hypocritical. They’re trying to make lemonade from a lemon and failing miserably. Not to mention the Ukrainian FM–who did explicitly shower with disdain Bennett’s two-facedness and shameful betrayal of Ukraine in his so-called mediation efforts.
As I made clear in my post (which you apparently didn’t read or conveniently neglected to mention), Iron Dome is a defensive weapon protecting civilians from Russian missiles, just as it does for Israeli civilians. F-16s are offensive weapons which would escalate hostilities far more than Iron Dome.
Do not comment in thread again.
A ‘no fly zone’ is defensive, yet the United States and NATO won’t impose one over Ukraine.
@ Shelly: What military training school did you attend? Since when is a no fly zone defensive? Ask Putin whether he’d see a no fly zone over Ukraine as “defensive.” In fact, a no fly zone would escalate the conflict enormously because it would put NATO jets in the air facing Russian ones. Inevitably, there would be combat and losses on both sides, which brings us much closer to all-out conflict.
Iron Dome protects a civilian population from Russian missiles. If you can’t see the difference between the 2 then you’re not working on all cylinders.
You are done in this thread.
[comment deleted: this is off-topic and violates the comment rules. Stay on topic and comment only on the actual post itself and not extraneous, off-topic subjects. IF you violate the rules again you will be in danger of being moderated.]
[comment deleted: as you’ve violated the comment rules a second time, I’m on the verge of moderating you. I will be closely reviewing all of your future comments and any further violations will be health with by moderations or outright banning.]
[comment deleted: read the Comment Rules carefully. Do NOT post off-topic comments. If you do, you will in danger of being moderated. I will be watching and reviewing yr future comments carefully.]
I don’t think Iron Dome is relevant to this kind of warfare. It capable of dealing with specific sort of small rockets and mortars.
it also require a huge array of radars, nothing that can be sent and build in a short time.
Where have you read it was asked by the Ukrainians?
@ Dan Lev: Next time do 5 seconds worth of research yourself before asking me to do it for you.
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/02/17/israel-ukraine-iron-dome/
No Richard, Bennett did not push Zelensky to surrender to Putin.
Mikhail Podolyak tweeted that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett did not urge Ukraine to agree to the Russian demands, as was reported Friday by two Hebrew-language outlets. (Walla)
Bennett, Podolyak wrote, “just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation.
“This is impossible for military & political reasons,” he added.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-didnt-push-zelensky-to-surrender-to-putin-says-top-ukraine-advisor/
@ Shelly: Yes, Bennett did push Zelensky to accept Russian demands. A Ukrainian official made this statement and I believe him:
These are based on Israeli media reports by the way. I think you need to update your hasbara efforts. They’re clearly out of date.
There is no way Naftali Bennett can be anything but Putin’s errand boy. So he certainly told Zelensky in so many words, to surrender.
If you want to believe the trash journalism at TOI, be my guest.
@Richard
Unlike the Walla report, which cited an ‘unnamed official’, a named advisor to President Zelensky, named Mikhail Podolyak, issued his statement (vindicating Bennett) via Podolyak’s Twitter account.
https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1502576848127107073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1502576848127107073%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesofisrael.com%2Fbennett-didnt-push-zelensky-to-surrender-to-putin-says-top-ukraine-advisor%2F
Trash?
“When you are in doubt, be still, and wait; when doubt no longer exists for you, then go forward with courage.
So long as mists envelop you, be still; be still until the sunlight pours through and dispels the mists
— as it surely will. Then act with courage.”
– Chief White Eagle, Ponca
I read your article about Zelensky’s address to the Knesset with interest. However, I could not help but wonder why you brought up the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which, in the present context, seems totally irrelevant This uprising was a small and desperate attempt by the last few thousand of the hundreds of thousands in the Ghetto and a purely symbolic gesture with no chance of success. The Polish Underground did provide some weaponry, albeit limited in nature – it was hardly the eighth largest weapons exporter in the world!! There was little the Government in Exile could do – they couldn’t even meaningfully assist the “44 uprising. Also, why the onus on Poland – did not other countries have an obligation to help?
@ Julia: You are a member of the Polish nationalist propaganda apparatus. There are unfortunately hundreds of you haunting social media and blogs like mine. Your job is to rewrite history according to what you nationalist anti-Semites (yes, there is no explicit anti-Semitism in your comment, but we know what underlies it) wish it had been. But that is falsifying truth and facts.
Why would you describe the Uprising as a “purely symbolic gesture?” Do you think Ukraineians view their resistance as purely symbolic? Do you think any country or people fighting for its survival against tremendous odds is doing so as a “symbolic gesture?” As a Jew, I am deeply offended by such language.
“No chance of success?” Do the Ukrainians have any chance of success? Does any rebellion happen because the fighters believe they must have a chance of success?
Contrary to what you claim, the Polish underground provided almost nothing: a few pistols and some ammunition.
Why the onus on Poland? Perhaps because these were Polish Jews rebelling against Nazis occupying Poland? Who would have a larger moral and political obligation to help if not Poles? UNless of course you don’t care whether Polish Jews live or die. Are you one of those?
Educate yourself with facts and real history here.