Ukraine Slams Israel for Refusing to Provide Iron Dome

Ukraine denounced Israel on Tuesday for refusing to provide it with the Iron Dome anti-missile system to help protect civilians against Russian attacks, The Times of Israel reported.

“While Russia slaughters our citizens, the Israeli government remains in its comfort zone and refrains from providing Ukraine with minimal defensive assistance,” said Yevgen Korniychuk, Ukrainian ambassador to Israel.

Korniychuk said, “We ask Israel for a defensive tool in the form of Iron Dome and similar defensive tools,” saying that just “as Israel protects the residents of the Gaza Strip from Hamas fire, we must protect our citizens — women, children and men.”

Korniychuk also slammed Israel for refusing to sign off on the transfer of its Spike SR anti-tank guided missile, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, saying that last week "the Americans gave permission for the anti-tank missiles to be transferred from Germany to Ukraine and Israel said no," The Jerusalem Post reported.

Last month Israel sent 2,000 helmets and 500 flak jackets to Ukraine, but Korniychuk said that was only 10% of what Kyiv requested, according to The Times of Israel.

Israel has also sent more than 100 tons of humanitarian aid, as well as setting up a field hospital in western Ukraine for six weeks.

The Israeli government has tried to preserve its ties with Moscow, which has troops in Syria, on Israel’s northern border, by not providing Kyiv with offensive weapons.

According to a diplomatic official, Israel will try to find equipment that can be transferred to Ukraine without sparking a crisis with the Kremlin.

This policy is in contrast to that of the United States and many European countries, which have provided offensive weaponry to Kyiv.

Korniychuk also accused Israel of refusing to aid wounded Ukrainian soldiers, saying “we are asking Israel to accept former soldiers whose limbs were amputated to fit them with prostheses, and Israel is delaying.”

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