Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made the most explicit identification of his embattled country with the State of Israel on Tuesday, saying that Ukraine will have to become a state on permanent war footing in order to protect itself from further Russian aggression.
In comments reported by Israel’s N12 news, Zelensky said on state television that even if a ceasefire is reached via ongoing talks with Moscow, Russia will still be capable of striking Ukraine again within a few years.
“We will become a ‘big Israel,’” Zelensky said, “with security becoming the highest priority issue for the next 10 years.”
Zelensky has previously identified Ukraine with Israel as a nation threatened by a much larger neighbor that is nonetheless fighting successfully to defend itself, and has cited former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir — who was born in Ukraine — as a model to be emulated.
At the same time, some pro-Palestinian forces have compared the defense of Ukraine to the Palestinian cause, while calling for a comprehensive sanctions regime to be placed on Israel similar to that imposed on Russia.
Also on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for the first time condemned Russian atrocities in the town of Bucha, where hundreds of civilians appear to have been massacred by retreating Russian forces.
“Of course, we are shocked by the harsh sights in Bucha,” Bennett said, without specifically naming Russia as the perpetrator. “These are horrific sights and we condemn them in every way.”
“The suffering of the citizens of Ukraine is enormous,” the prime minister added, “and we are doing everything we can to help.”
He pointed to Israel’s establishment of a field hospital in Western Ukraine, which has already treated some 2,200 civilians.
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