Israeli PM Worries Weapons Supplied to Ukraine Could Be Used Against Israel in Syria

In an interview with the Jerusalem Post on June 22, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is in a different situation in providing military aid to Ukraine compared to Western nations because his nation’s air force operates near Russian combat aircraft and they fear a potential Iranian military presence across the border in Syria.

“Israel is in a peculiar situation, different from say, Poland or Germany or France or any of the Western countries that are assisting Ukraine,” Netanyahu said.

"First of all, we have a close military border with Russia.”

He cited Israeli pilots flying right next to Russian pilots over Syrian skies and said it is important for Israel to maintain their freedom of action to counter Iran’s attempt to have its own military presence on the northern border.

Additionally, Israel shares apprehensions about the potential of the supplied systems falling into the wrong hands and being provided to Syria or Iran. He cited a past instance where Western anti-tank weapons ended up near their borders. Netanyahu stressed Jerusalem’s desire for caution in this regard. 

"That’s not a theoretical possibility. It actually happened with the Western anti-tank weapons that we now find at our borders. So, [Israel has] to be very careful here," the PM said.

“We obviously bemoan the tragedy that’s happening in Ukraine, this horrible loss of human life. We’d like to see it end,” he said.

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Netanyahu said that while Israel has a potential role in resolving the conflict, Jerusalem has to draw the line carefully.

“I think we’re also in a special situation where we might find ourselves in the future in a position to help end this conflict. I’m not sure that will happen. It may be entirely hypothetical, but it could happen. So, I think that the balanced way that we are acting is the right one. You have to be very prudent in international affairs,” Netanyahu said.

He said that Israel has sympathy and provides civilian defense assistance to Ukraine but noted their need for careful delineation. He claimed that when explaining this perspective to heads of Western governments, they generally understand Israel’s distinct situation.

"I have to say that most of the heads of governments of Western countries, when I explained this, they basically nod in agreement. They understand that Israel is in a different situation from any one of them."