Wants Iron Dome Missile Defense System, President Zelensky Questions Israel's Reluctance To Sell Weapons To Ukraine

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Israel's missile defense system as the best, despite alluding to Jerusalem's reluctance to sell it, as Russian attacks escalate.

Addressing the Israeli Parliament via video link, President Zelensky questioned the country's reluctance to sell the Iron Dome missile defense system to Ukraine.

In addition, President Zelensky also rebuked Israel in the Sunday speech, asking why it did not participate in imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rebuked Israel in a speech to parliament on Sunday, asking why Israel did not provide missile defense to his country or sanction Russia for its invasion.

"Everyone knows that your missile defense system is the best. And you can definitely help our people, save the lives of Ukrainians, Ukrainian Jews," said President Zelenskiy, who is of Jewish descent.

Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had held numerous calls with President Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to end the conflict.

Responding to President Zelensky, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid was not committed, saying in a statement that Israel, which has sent field hospitals and other humanitarian aid to Ukraine, would continue to help its people "as much as we can".

Trying to act as a mediator in the Ukraine-Russia crisis, Israel condemned the Invasion. But be wary of strained relations with Moscow, a 'power broker' in neighboring Syria where Israeli forces frequently attack pro-Iranian militias.

"We can ask why we can't receive weapons from you, why Israel doesn't impose strong sanctions on Russia or puts no pressure on Russian businesses," he criticized, one of several he addressed foreign legislatures.

He mentioned Israel's Iron Dome system, which is often used to intercept rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

"In any case, the choice is yours, brothers and sisters, and you must live with your answers, Israelis," he said. Zelensky.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin two weeks ago in Moscow and has spoken frequently with him and President Zelenskiy, since then, was among more than 100 of the 120 lawmakers who took part in the video call. . He did not immediately comment after the Ukrainian leader spoke.

In his speech, President Zelensky made a comparison between the Russian attack and Nazi Germany's plan to exterminate European Jews during the Second World War.

"Listen to what is being said now in Moscow, hear how they say those words again: the final solution. But this time in relation to us, to the Ukraine question," he said.

President Zelensky did not cite evidence in making the accusations or identify who might have used the term. Meanwhile, President Putin has used a phrase meaning "final decision/final resolution" once in the past 30 days, according to Reuters monitoring of his remarks, but not in a context that carries the same resonance or meaning as Nazi terminology.