Lapid: Russia-Iran relations are a serious problem to 'Israel'

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Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid held Thursday a phone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Israeli news website Walla! reported.

During the conversation, Lapid told Kuleba that "Israel" is deeply concerned about the military cooperation between Russia and Iran, stressing that the Israeli occupation is on the side of the Ukrainian people in the war against Russia, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

In the same context, Lapid said relations between Russia and Iran represent a serious problem for "Israel" and the world.

"We naturally think that relations between Russia and Iran are a serious problem not only for Israel, but also for Ukraine, Europe, and the whole world," Lapid told RTVI.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister, "Iran is a dangerous terrorist state, and the fact that Russia does business with it puts the whole world in danger."

"The fact that they use Iranian drones to kill Ukrainian civilians is absolutely unacceptable," said the Prime Minister of the occupation that kills hundreds of Palestinian people, of course not sparing children, using all kinds of weapons. 

Ignoring reports that the Israeli occupation is already providing assistance to Ukraine, Lapid said, "I have a duty to preserve Israel's security and its interests, but at the same time make it clear that we support Ukraine."

In mid-October, a senior Israeli official told The New York Times that the Israeli occupation was providing Ukraine with basic intelligence about Iranian drones allegedly used by the Russian forces, revealing that a private Israeli firm was providing Kiev with satellite imagery of the positions of the Russian troops.

In the same context, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday that Kiev will be sending an official note to the Israeli occupation requesting immediate air security supplies and cooperation in the security sector.

In a Tweet posted on his personal account on Sunday, Israeli occupation so-called "Minister of Diaspora Affairs," Nachman Shai, called on "Israel" to arm Ukraine, as NATO and US are doing.

But on Wednesday, the Israeli occupation's Security Minister Benny Gantz told European Ambassadors during a briefing that "Israel will not deliver weapon systems to Ukraine."

Gantz said, "Our policy regarding Ukraine will not change - we will continue to support and stand with the West, but we will not provide weapon systems. We have asked the Ukrainians to share information regarding their needs, and offered to assist in developing a life-saving early-warning system."

The Israeli occupation's Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, said in early October that "Tel Aviv" is ready to help Kiev against Russia in the ongoing war, but without crossing the "red lines" that could undermine "Israel's" security.

It is noteworthy that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned "Israel" Monday against providing weapons to Ukraine, stressing that any move to boost Kiev's arsenal will severely damage bilateral relations. 

On Telegram, Medvedev said that "Israel appears to be getting ready to supply weapons to the Kiev regime. A very reckless move. It would destroy all bilateral relations between our countries."

Ukrainian advisor: "Israel" chose to be on the wrong side of history

On the other hand, the senior advisor to the Ukrainian President, Mikhail Podolyak, slammed on Thursday the Israeli decision not to supply Ukraine with air defense systems, according to Israeli Media. 

Podolyak expressed Ukraine's disappointment in the Israeli decision as he told reporters that "Israel chose to be on the wrong side of history," adding that it "causes great disappointment in Ukrainian society."

Furthermore, he insisted that "Israel seems to have abandoned the desire to be on the right side of history," and even cautioned that "the conduct will significantly complicate the relations" between the two sides for decades to come.

"Israel" fears consequences of supplying Kiev with weapons

In a related context, the Israeli news website Haaretz reported that the security and military establishment fears that providing Ukraine with air security systems will lead to the downing of Russian planes and the killing of pilots, which will prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to point the finger at "Israel".

According to Haaretz, the security and military officials claimed that "there’s no scenario" that would drive "Israel" to supply Kiev with the Iron Dome anti-missile system, which it considered to be a "strategically important" weapon for its security. That is because such an action would come at "the expense of its own aerial defense," according to the officials.