Illustrative image. Source: the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Israel will carefully study the possibility of supplying Ukraine with defensive weapons, including the Iron Dome air defense system, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on February 5, answering a question on the matter by French news channel LCI.
The Israeli PM, who assumed his position very recently, stressed that his country does not want to start a confrontation with Russia in Syria.
“I’m going to look into it. But I’ll judge it in the best way that [I] can,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would examine the issue “in light of our national interest.”
Netanyahu went on to explain to reporters that Israeli and Russian warplanes “fly within spitting distance over the skies of Syria.”
“We’re not interested in having a military confrontation between Israel and Russia. I don’t think that will serve anyone’s purpose. So far, we’ve avoided it,” he added.
The Israeli Air Force uses Syrian airspace to “destroy Iran’s military positions that are aimed against us,” Netanyahu said. “So we have a consideration, perhaps, that other countries do not. But we support Ukraine in many other ways.”
Ukraine has been asking Israel for offensive and defensive weapons since the start of the Russian special military operation last year. However, Tel Aviv has so far limited its assistance to non-lethal equipment. The Kiev regime is mainly interested in the Iron Dome system for its capability to intercept loitering munitions and cruise missiles, which the Russian military has been using against its forces with great success.
The Iron Dome was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. The system has a maximum range of 70 kilometers. The effectiveness of the system, which has been in service with the Israeli military since 2011, was questioned on more than one occasion.
Netanyahu’s remarks are likely linked to recent reports of a Russian plan to sell S-35 warplanes and other weapon systems to Iran, Israel’s main foe. The PM is likely trying to pressure Moscow over the issue by hinting at the possibility of arming Ukraine.
Russia could respond to any Israeli attempt to provide military support to Kiev by expanding its military presence in Syria, and providing advanced weapons to Iran.
