As a committed Zionist and Israel booster, I've always been proud of the country's achievements especially its military which has proved itself fabulously successful over the many wars.
But Israel's lack of tangible support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression is disturbing and shameful, especially considering the history of the holocaust where country after country turned a blind eye to the extermination of the Jewish people from Europe some eighty years ago.
Sadly and pathetically, Israel is now doing the same to the Ukrainians.
Israel has been loathe to criticize Vladimir Putin for fear of antagonizing Russia, a strategic player in the middle east.
Like Britain's Neville Chamberlain before him, Prime Minister Bennett made a journey to Russia to meet the madman Putin, purportedly to mediate but realistically to show neutrality.
How cowardly and shameful!
And like Chamberlain's humiliating legacy,
history will be harsh on those who seek to appease Putin, who like
Hitler entertains negotiations only as a pretext and time-delay device.
One
can understand Israel's reluctance to get involved considering Russia's
giant footprint in Syria. Israel is jealously protecting the
informal understanding that it has with Russia concerning freedom of action in
attacking Iranian installations in Syria as long as it doesn't threaten
the current Syrian regime.
But taking the political expedient tact instead of taking the moral high ground is exactly what Israel has lambasted other countries for doing for 50 years, abstaining in United Nations on resolution after resolution castigating Israel.
And now Israel has abstained in a United Nation resolution condemning Russia, not because the resolution is faulty but rather because it is inconvenient.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield protested to her Israeli counterpart over Israel's refusal to join 87 countries in backing a U.S.-led resolution to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the UN Security Council on Friday, Israeli officials tell Axios.
Israel has attempted to maintain good relations with both Russia and Ukraine during the crisis, and has even offered to serve as a mediator. But that fence-sitting has resulted in criticism from both sides and now from the U.S.
- The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry had been claiming for weeks that the Biden administration understood Israel's need to calibrate its reaction to the Russian invasion in order to maintain its security coordination with Russia in Syria.
- But Israel dragged its feet as the U.S. was gathering co-sponsors for the resolution and did not provide a clear answer before the meeting began.
- After the vote, which Russia vetoed, Thomas-Greenfield passed a message to the Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan stressing the Biden administration’s disappointment Link
Disgraceful...
While Israel has sent much-needed humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it hasn't sent what Ukraine most covets from Israel, that is, its large fleet of drones and defensive missiles like Iron Dome.
In fact, Israel has sent no weapons at all to Ukraine while just about every western country in the world has rushed to Ukraine's military defence
Germany will deliver 1,000 anti-tank rocket launchers, 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, nine Howitzers, 14 armoured vehicles and 10,000 tonnes of fuel to Ukraine.
Sweden announced that it would deliver anti-tank weapons to Kyiv.France, for its part, has committed defence equipment and fuel support.
Belgian is promising 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel, 3,000 additional automatic rifles and 200 anti-tank weapons.
Portugal has offered protective equipment such as bulletproof vests and helmets as well as night vision goggles, grenades and ammunition of various calibres.
The Czech Republic is sending 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns and several dozen sniper rifles as well as one million rounds of ammunition.
Romania is providing fuel, body armour, helmets, ammunition and other military equipment.
Canada announced the sending of military protective equipment, such as helmets and bulletproof vests but also anti-tank weapons systems and upgraded ammunition.Finland, a country that is not yet aligned with NATO but is a member of the EU, announced a historic policy shift to send weapons to Ukraine, promising 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 rounds of ammunition, 1,500 rocket launchers and 70,000 field rations.
Denmark announced that it would be sending 2,700 anti-tank weapons and would let Danish volunteers join International Brigades forming in Ukraine to defend the country.
Norway, which had already announced on Sunday shipments of helmets and bulletproof vests, said it would also be sending 2,000 M72 anti-tank weapons.
Croatia is sending €16 million worth of protective gear and light arms while Slovenia has promised rifles, ammunition and helmets.
Italy has also announced that it will send military equipment but has not disclosed details yet of what this may entail.
Israeli drones are every bit and more effective than those few Turkish drones that are shooting the heck out of Russian conveys
A couple of dozen Israeli drones could have wreaked utter havoc on the sad-sack Russian armoured brigades which were left exposed and vulnerable because of poor tactics, logistics and lack of air cover by a failing Russian air force.
A couple of Iron Dome batteries could not stop the coming onslaught to Kiev, but they could have shot down hundreds of missiles fired by the Russians, saving countless lives and frustrating the Russian attack.
Military analysts are stunned at Russia's inept military and lack of operational capabilities. NATO, Israel and other western countries have vastly over-estimated Russia's military might.
It turns out the Russian military is hobbled by corruption, poor training, low morale, faulty equipment and logistical ineptness. And while Russia has some modern equipment, its military is unable to use it effectively and has effectively lost the Ukraine war to an inferior but determined foe.
In today's battlefield, quantity doesn't guarantee success and a 1000 tanks and armoured vehicles costing billions can be easily defeated by a infantry based missile defence costing a fraction of the cost.
This is what is happening in the Ukraine, where a well-armed defensive force with modern western weapons is making mincemeat out of Russian armour.
And so the Russians are reduced to destroying what they cannot conquer, employing barbaric siege warfare on civilian population that is banned under modern rules of engagement. Their current military doctrine dates back to the era of the Hellenic period of the catapult, hardly something to fear for a modern military.
Against any western foe, NATO or Israel, the Russian conventional military would be wiped out.
And for Israel, it is now clear that the feared Russian bogeyman in Syria is a paper tiger..
Russia should be warned to no longer threaten Israeli operations lest their force be directly confronted and defeated.
Assad should be sent the message that he cannot count on Russian protection anymore and his continued stewardship of Syria is based on Israeli permission.
Israel can easily wipe out Russian defences and air elements and with no Russian reinforcements available, the Russian expeditionary force in Syria is a beached whale.
Let us remember that Israel too is nuclear power so that possible threat is unrealistic.
Such is the new reality of Russian weakness and I promise you that conversations and discussions are being held at the highest military levels in Israel.
At any rate, back to Ukraine...
I know that some of you are saying that Ukraine is a corrupt fascist country with deep ties to Nazism that doesn't deserve western support.
But times change, just as America is a reformed slave nation, Ukraine has worked hard to adopt western ideals after opting for Europe instead of Russia. Embracing western ideology Ukraine has made great strides in getting rid of rampant antisemitism and corruption.
It is the only European nation to have an elected Jewish president so there's that.
At any rate, I'll repeat my main point that Israel is acting shamefully in not supporting Ukraine militarily.
I'm sure that won't be a popular position among faithful readers.
Israel is now pushing rump Ukraine to surrender.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-701041
Israel fighting Russia when even NATO did not dare. Facepalm.
ReplyDeleteThe post as whole is western wishful thinking and fully in line with the mainstream media coverage.
"employing barbaric siege warfare on civilian population that is banned under modern rules of engagement."
ReplyDeleteWhite phosphorus dumped on Gaza and the West Bank by the Zionists?
"the Russians are reduced to destroying what they cannot conquer" - why is the Ukrainian army not preventing the destruction? Where are they?
ReplyDelete"the Russians are reduced to destroying what they cannot conquer" - why is the Ukrainian army not preventing the destruction? Where are they?
DeleteYou've created a new way for me to look at history, Adski. So, ~14,000,000 Russian civilians died in WWII because the Soviet army didn't prevent it? And Pearl Harbour was attacked because the U.S. navy didn't meet the Japanese navy out in the Pacific! It's "History, by Victim-Blaming". Wouldn't it then be the Palestinians fault if Israel dropped white phosphorus on Gaza and the West Bank?
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DeleteRussia in 1941/1942 was not winning the war. Today Ukraine, apparently, is winning the war, to the point where this blog's editor is ready to join the fight. If he were younger, he may have even joined the foreign legion and started his training at the Yavoriv base that he would not have completed.
DeleteAsking where the Ukrainian army is was to point out a contradiction, not to assign blame. The contradiction being - Ukrainians are winning while also not being able to protect their assets - both points raised in this blog post, and in the media.
Hope that this clarifies things.
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ReplyDeleteDear Adski,
ReplyDeleteI don't often answer comments because I like to let others have their say unimpeded.
I appreciate your support over the years and your countering views are important, else this blog would become a vacuous echo chamber.
But I sense a bit of frustration in your latest missives.
Despite your support of the Russian invasion you cannot be happy with the indiscriminate bombing of civilians. If Israel did use phosphorus bombs on Gaza, it is certainly no justification for bombing civilian populations in Ukraine.
I know you cannot believe that that type of behaviour is OK.
I wrote a recent blog piece that predicted Putin would not invade and events proved me 100% wrong.
I own that miscalculation.
When events prove you wrong, it is important to reevaluate and instead of hardening a wrongful position it is the mature thing to acknowledge the mistake and re-evaluate.
Whatever your view of the west, Putin is a corrupt villain on a scale of Stalin who has betrayed the everyday people of Russia and dragged them into a quagmire of suffering and humiliation that will last for years and decades.
The faster good folks rid stand up to tyranny, the faster we can get on to a better world.
Best regards.
"If Israel did use phosphorus bombs on Gaza,"
ReplyDeleteIf. Facepalm
"When events prove you wrong, it is important to reevaluate" - when they do, I will reevaluate.
ReplyDelete"it is the mature thing to acknowledge the mistake and re-evaluate" - Thanks dad
ReplyDelete"But I sense a bit of frustration in your latest missives." - the part about America overcoming its slavery heritage did annoy me. It's manipulative to the point of being insulting.
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ReplyDelete"Assad should be sent the message that he cannot count on Russian protection anymore and his continued stewardship of Syria is based on Israeli permission."
DeleteShould be "sent a message", and his continued stewardship of Syria is based on "Israeli permission" Heart bleeding for a nation ruled by a Jewish prime minister. Apart from that, gloves off. Donetsk, Lugansk, Syria, Iraq, Iran, bomb away.
"Despite your support of the Russian invasion you cannot be happy with the indiscriminate bombing of civilians" - let's not pretend that only one of us is a war monger
I, for one, am completely shocked. Israel on "Team Belligerent Genocidal Occupation"? Israel supporting "barbaric siege warfare on a civilian population"?
ReplyDeleteWho could have imagined?
Next thing they're going to say is that Israel supported apartheid South Africa. Stay strong Zionists. Don't fall for anti-Israel propaganda.
ReplyDelete1 of 2:
ReplyDeleteI saw this editorial and the ensuing comments just yesterday (March 15th) for the first time, and I realized I better take a day or so to digest all I have read. Diving in with a response would not have given me the chance to be careful and measured in my response. This is a delicate area and the Israeli response, in my belief had to be measured very carefully. Like Phil, the editor of this blog, I am not overly pleased with Israel's response, but as I just wrote, it calls for very careful explanations.
One would think that without hesitation, Israel would be behind Ukraine every step of the way, but thus far, that hasn't been the result. Israel has to make considerations that no other country on the planet has to. For one thing, Israel's defense budget is higher than anybody else's on a per capita basis. It has to be. Israel is subject to attack at anytime. Israel has many enemies, and for none at its own doing. All Israeli citizens have to do tours of duty on rotation with their military. Most European countries do not, and certainly the U.S. and Canada have no such program. It's all voluntary notwithstanding America's requirement by law that all 18-year-old males have to register for the draft.
As mentioned, many Russian- and Ukrainian-born people live in Israel. My maternal grandparents were Russian, and based on the stories told to my late mother my grandmother, I have absolutely no love loss for Russia. None whatsoever. It's a Fiddler-on-the-Roof story, but that film was still very genteel in portraying the persecution of the Jews by the Russians. My late mother was named after a great aunt whose boat was sunk trying to escape the Bolshevik Revolution. Prior to the Revolution, my grandfather had machinery of his livelihood confiscated and eventually, like Tevye's family in the movie, was ordered off his land in short order, eventually making his way to Canada in 1914 with all he could carry and little else.
Putin has clearly and unequivocally stated he wants to rule the pre-dismantled Soviet Union. ALL OF IT! OK, so he started with Crimea, now Ukraine, and if left unchecked, who next. Latvia? Lithuania? Estonia? Like Hitler, in his manifesto Mein Kampf, disclosed everything he intended to do and did much of it until, thankfully, he became too cocky.
I don't like this comparing Bennett to Chamberlain. Neville Chamberlain, hand-in-hand with Édouard Daladier, the Premier of France, signed the Munich Agreement giving Hitler the Sudetenland without his having to fire a single shot. By treaty, both France and the Soviet Union were supposed to support Czechoslovakia, but didn't. Chamberlain had far more weaponry and people to defend Europe, and he was enthusiastic to hand over the Sudetenland, but we all know what happened eleven months after October 1938. The Soviet Union was not consulted to sign the Munich Agreement.
Israel gets much of its weaponry from the U.S., so all Israel would be doing his handing out American weaponry that the U.S. already has. Again, Israel, while on a per capita basis his more engineers, doctors and other university graduates than the rest of the world, but Israel has to in order for its survival.
So how much would be "enough" for Israel to give with its heavy defense budget, and how much more vulnerable would Israel be by making a worse enemy of Putin's (if that's possible)? I like to think that Bennett weighed the cost-benefit analysis, and weighed it VERY carefully!
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