Following US Pressures, Israel Considers Supplying Weapons to Ukraine

The Israeli government is mulling its policy towards the Russia-Ukraine war and the possibility of providing Ukraine with defense systems, the Israeli website Walla reported, citing three senior Israeli officials.

Israel is under pressure from the Biden administration and Democratic and Republican Congressmen, as well as from other Western governments, to provide Ukraine with military aid, such as missile defense systems.

So far, Israeli officials assert that Tel Aviv has rejected most US and Ukrainian requests to supply Ukraine with defense systems out of fear that this step could lead to tensions with Russia and harm Israeli security interests in Syria.

Earlier this week, Russia warned Israel against delivering weapons to Ukraine.

“We say that all countries that deliver weapons must understand that we will consider these weapons as legitimate targets for the Russian armed forces,” said Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.