Moscow blasted Tel Aviv with the claims of its assistance for neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine. The comment adds fuel to a fire that started when Russian FM suggested Adolf Hitler had with Jewish religious beliefs.
Two days ago, Israeli FM called Lavrov’s remark an “unforgivable” lie. The words, according to Lapid, attempted to minimize the atrocities of the Holocaust. Holocaust refers to the vague claims that Nazi Germany slaughtered over six million Jewish people in Europe and elsewhere.
Lavrov received condemnations by authorities from a number of Western countries. Reporters had questioned Lavrov about how Moscow could be following its declared objective of de-nazification of Ukraine considering the Jewish affiliation of Ukrainian president. Zelenskyy had blamed Russia for forgetting lessons from WWII.
Lapid’s remarks were “anti-historical,” according to a statement by Russian foreign ministry. The positions “explain to a large extent why current Israeli government supports neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv,” the statement read.
Moscow echoed Lavrov’s statement that Zelenskyy’s Jewish ancestry does not prevent neo-Nazi rule in Ukrainian lands. “Antisemitism in everyday life and in politics is not stopped and is on the contrary nurtured [in Ukraine].”
After Russian war against Ukraine, Israel reaffirmed its allegiance for the country. However, in order to avoid severing ties with Moscow, which serves as a major regional actor, it first avoided public condemnation of Russia. It has not imposed official sanctions on Russian billionaires.
In a similar vein, Israel delivered humanitarian supplies to Ukraine and voiced its solidarity for Ukrainian people. The administration, on the other hand, has refused to join global sanctions against Kremlin.
As a result, Israeli PM retained the privilege to attempt to act as mediator between the two parties. By the way, the endeavor seems to have come to a halt while Israel struggles with the local turmoil.
Neo-Nazi Game in Russia-Israel Field
Relations between Russia and Israel have started to deteriorate with Lapid denouncing Russia for war crimes in Ukraine in May. As the war lingers on in Ukraine, neutral states find no choice but to take sides one after another.
“After the Kremlin claimed that Israel supports Nazism, I have just one question. Is there any non-Nazi country in the whole world in Russia’s point of view? Except Syria, Belarus and Eritrea, of course,” an adviser in Kyiv cabinet pointed out in Twitter. Kyiv finds it more in its interest to blaze the fire of differences and discrepancies on such cases.
Zelenskyy has urged Israel to make a decision by aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russian troops. It has also requested arms from the Jewish state two months ago. As Russia battles in Ukraine, Neo-Nazis talks have played a key role in Russia’s war goals and propaganda.
Vladimir Putin has framed the conflict in Ukraine as a combat against Neo-Nazi to legitimize the conflict among Russian people. This is despite the fact that Ukraine has a democratic system with a president who has won a general election. Furthermore, a Jewish president is running the government in Ukraine.
One of the justifications for Russian invasion was the existence of battalions like the Azov inside the Ukrainian army.
Azov battalion is a far-right military unit that was established in 2014 to combat pro-Russian separatist groups in Donbas. Its original founders bore ultra-nationalist views suspected of espousing neo-Nazi ideologies. Since then, the regiment has been absorbed into Ukrainian Regular Army.
Israel’s insistence on the vague historical roots of Holocaust has turned to its Achilles heels in its ties with allies. Taking it as an ideological element behind establishment, a threat to the Holocaust may question the whole Israeli existence.
