Israeli Foreign Minister mentions Russia in condemnation of war crimes after atrocities in Bucha
Jair Lapid
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in his sharp condemnation of war crimes during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, after the killings in Bucha on the outskirts of Kiev, mentioned Russian troops, while the Prime Minister previously avoided mentioning Russia,
KYIV. UkraineGate , 6 ,April , 2022 | Ukraine News.
Quote
“Once again, a large and powerful country has invaded a smaller neighboring country without any excuses,” he wrote on Twitter .
“Once again, the land is soaked in the blood of innocent civilians. Images and testimonies from Ukraine are horrible. Russian troops have committed war crimes against defenseless civilians. I strongly condemn these war crimes,” Lapid said.
Details
According to CNN, as in the case of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Lapid’s comments, first made during a speech with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts, contrasted sharply with those of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Although Bennett also condemned the Bucha killings, he did not blame Russia .
Context
Israel is one of the few countries that has good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv. “He is particularly afraid to upset Russia, whose blessing is needed to strike at Iran-related targets in Syria,” CNN reported.
On March 5, Bennett flew to Moscow on a Jewish Sabbath to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since then, he has held at least three talks with Putin and half a dozen with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid Israel trying to mediate between them and end hostilities.
“However, the country’s position – tacit support for international sanctions in providing only humanitarian aid to Ukraine – is under increasing pressure,” – said CNN.
Addressing the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, last month, Zelensky criticized Israel for not doing more to help his country, warning that he would “have to live” with his decisions.
Source: Ukrgate
