Israeli MK calls for more aid to Ukraine as 'situation changed'

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The Israeli occupation must drastically increase aid to Ukraine, as the situation there has changed, and if "Israel" does not pump more aid into Ukraine, it is going to run into problems with the West, Israeli media reported on Thursday, citing Knesset Member Ze'ev Elkin.

Elkin just came back from Ukraine, where he had been on an official visit, and he said during an interview conducted on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Ukraine war with the Israeli KAN public broadcaster that the occupation had to increment aid to Ukraine, especially when it came to giving Kiev the means to counter Iranian UAVs.

"We are stuck in an old worldview. I cannot close my eyes and pretend that reality is not changing," Elkin stressed, warning that if the occupation were to not up its game and provide Ukraine with more weapons, "We will be plunged into a deep crisis with the West."

"It is impossible for us to stay careless about the dynamics of this war," he said, "The Russians' rapprochement with Iran is getting stronger by the minute, and the West is upping aid to Ukraine."

Ukraine and its western allies have long been accusing Iran of supplying drones to Russia in the midst of the war. However, Tehran's statements once again struck down the allegations as false, proving that the Iranian drones seen in Ukraine's airspace were not provided to Moscow as the war was ongoing. 

Iran had given a small batch of drones to Russia, but it was before the Ukraine war broke out, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in November 2022.

The top Iranian diplomat went on to remind how Tehran requested that Kiev provide it with proof and documentation of Moscow's use of Iranian UAVs.

"At the end of the day, we belong with the Western countries," he stressed.

Asked about the price the Israeli occupation would have to pay if it were to change its policy with Russia, Elkin said "a part of the price will be paid regardless because of Russia's reliance on Iran, which affects the whole chain of interests."

"Our bid to sit on the two thrones will turn against us eventually, for Israel will be plunged into a crisis with the West and it will be required to take drastic measures to prove to the West that it was still part of it, and the end result will be more Russian anger toward Israel," he concluded.

At the onset of 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to vote against a UN General Assembly resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to issue an opinion on the Israeli occupation's actions on the Palestinian territories, Ukrainian and Israeli officials told Axios. 

Ukraine voted in favor of the resolution during an earlier UN committee vote but refused to attend the General Assembly vote "in order to give a chance to the relationship with Netanyahu," the Ukrainian official said. 

Weeks earlier, Ukraine disregarded the Israeli request to vote against the resolution during the UN committee vote after "Israel" did not comply with the Ukrainian plea for military assistance. In response, Israeli foreign ministry officials furiously summoned the Ukrainian ambassador for talks. 

Netanyahu called Zelensky as part of a series of phone calls with some leaders, who had previously voted in favor of the resolution. 

During the call with Netanyahu, Zelensky stated that in exchange for voting against the resolution or abstaining, he wanted to hear how the new Israeli government would change its policy and provide Ukraine with defense systems against Russian attacks using ballistic missiles and 'Iranian-made drones', a Ukrainian official said.

The official added that Netanyahu wasn't committed to anything but was ready to discuss Zelensky’s requests in the future, adding that Zelensky didn’t like the answer and didn’t agree to vote against the resolution or abstain. Instead, he instructed Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN to not attend the vote.

Russia's usage of Iranian drones has prompted Ukraine's allies to come together in various ways to try and help Kiev, with Turkey and the United States sending in drones and the Israeli occupation providing Kiev with intelligence on the Iranian drones being used in Ukraine, cementing Iran's capabilities when it came to its drone program.