Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky called on Israel on Sunday (03.20.2022) to “make a decision” and support Ukraine against Russia, in a videoconference speech before members of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. “Ukraine made its choice 80 years ago and we have Righteous Ones who hid the Jews. It is time for Israel to make a decision … indifference kills,” Zelensky, who has Jewish origins, said in a speech in translated Ukrainian. to Hebrew.
Zelensky, who also praised the mediation efforts by the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Benet (the only leader who has met with Putin in Moscow since the war began), evoked World War II and the horror of the Holocaust to demand support more assertive from Israel to Ukraine and avoid Russia’s “final solution”. “Listen to what the Kremlin says, they are the same words, the same terminology that the Nazis used against you. It is a tragedy,” the president appealed to 112 parliamentarians of the 120 that make up the Knesset. Zelenski has valued the mediation efforts by Prime Minister Naftali Benet, the only world leader
Interest in the ‘Iron Dome’ anti-missile system
The Ukrainian president called on Israeli legislators to demand that the government take more forceful actions, such as providing military assistance to Ukraine -including ammunition and the effective Iron Dome anti-missile system- and imposing sanctions against Russia, something that Israel has not yet done so as not to risk the delicate geostrategic alliance that it maintains with the Kremlin in Syria. “Everyone knows that their missile defense systems are the best … and they can definitely help our people, save the lives of Ukrainians, Ukrainian Jews,” he said.
“I am sure that you share and feel our pain. Therefore, I cannot explain why at this point we still have to urge countries around the world to help us,” Zelensky said on the twenty-fifth day of war in his country, with the siege in Mariúpol as the bloodiest episode. “Indifference kills, the calculation of interests kills. You can navigate between interests, but you cannot navigate between good and evil,” he appealed.
The president also called on Israel to offer entry visas to the millions of Ukrainian refugees, since until now it only allows those with Jewish origin to stay, while reminding parliamentarians that eighty years ago, the Ukrainian people chose to save the Jews. of the Nazis. “People of Israel, now you also have to choose,” appealed Zelensky, who has repeatedly expressed his wish that the Israeli government be more firm against Russia.
lgc (afp / efe / rtr)