Israel declines Ukraine's request for weapon supply

Israeli Minister of Defence Benjamin Gantz assured that his country did not and will not supply weapons to Ukraine.

Instead, the minister highlighted the medical and humanitarian assistance Israel is providing to Kyiv, The Times of Israel reported.

"I want to make it clear that we are not selling weapons to Ukraine", Gantz reinforced, adding that only medical and humanitarian aid has been sent and that this will remain the case. "If somebody claims that we are or will sell weapons to Ukraine, they are wrong. I am the defence minister, and I am responsible for the export of Israeli weapons" he said during an interview with the Kol Chai radiostation.

Caliber.Az recalls that Russia’s Deputy chairman of the Security Council Dmitriy Medvedev cautioned Israel not to deliver weapons to Ukraine, referring to this as an "ill-advised" act, as was reported on October 17.

His statement comes a day before Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid is set to meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who only on October 18 made his intention of approaching Israel regarding the purchase of air defence systems public. He argued this, saying that he believes Israel would help his country after Russia’s use of Iranian drones has become public, seeing as Iran is a "red line" for Israel.

The Ukrainian government requested the purchase of Israel’s renowned "Iron Dome" air defence system back at the beginning of 2022, which has been left unanswered.

According to The Washington Post, analysts believe that Israel’s silence stems from their fear of shattering its strategic cooperation with Russia in Syria and other hot spots that are their top strategic priority.