Israelis fighting alongside Ukrainian nationalists (footage)
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Kiev has long requested that “Israel” sell its defensive military equipment most notably the Iron Dome air defense system but has been turned down.
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Israelis in Ukraine posing for a video on April 24 (Screencapture)
Videos shared on social media Sunday appeared to show several Israelis fighting alongside Ukrainian forces and thanking “Israel” for its assistance, according to Israeli media.
The videos, which went viral, showed the men dressed in Ukrainian military uniforms in an unspecified forested area. The video was most likely shot over the last week as the fighters expressed gratitude to Ukraine's chief rabbi for providing them with kosher food for the week-long Passover holiday.
“We want to give thanks to the people of Israel and the government of Israel for the help they give us. We are here fighting against the Russians in this very difficult war,” said one fighter.
“I want to say thank you to the whole Jewish people who are helping us — we are here for you, for the whole nation,” said another man. “We are here for all those whose lives are in danger. We are fighting for you, doing good work.”
In a second video, nine men formed a semicircle while holding a Ukrainian and an Israeli flag.
Referring to a spate of resistance operations in response to Israeli terrorism against Palestinians in recent weeks, a man said, “We, the soldiers of the Ukrainian army who are at the front fighting the Russian invader, want to express our support for the people of Israel who are experiencing severe terror attacks.”
Hundreds of Israelis are thought to have traveled to Ukraine to join volunteer units following the war in Ukraine, but the exact numbers are unknown.
The videos' effusive praise for “Israel” is considered puzzling, given that Ukraine has previously chastised “Israel” for its tepid support.
Kiev has long requested that “Israel” sell its defensive military equipment most notably the Iron Dome air defense system, but has been repeatedly turned down. According to reports, Ukraine has also requested cyber weaponry to use against Russia, including the controversial Pegasus hacking software developed by the NSO Group.
