President Biden declared the war in Ukraine a clash between democracies and autocracies. Sure enough, democratic countries are supporting Ukraine. Autocratic countries are supporting Russia. Israel is a Democratic country.
It follows that Israel should be supporting Ukraine. Yet it stands out among the few democratic countries that are not doing so.
But a quid pro quo between Iran and Russia might force Israel’s hand. These two autocratic countries have struck a deal that poses an existential threat. I suspect it calls for Iran to supply drones to Russia and for Russia to supply nuclear technology to Iran.
Israel should support Ukraine
In a Quora post on October 19, I argued that then-Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid should have begun supporting Ukraine back in July. That moment came when Russian President Vladimir Putin made an extraordinary trip to Iran to negotiate this deal. And the drones Iran supplied are now terrorizing and killing Ukrainian civilians.
I also noted that Israel shares the ironic fate of being tethered to Germany in this context. History imposes upon them a special duty to prevent the genocide Russia is executing in Ukraine.
Both countries should feel morally compelled to be on the right side of history in this context. Yet I felt compelled to follow up on November 1. I highlighted how Ukraine’s Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was pleading for support from Israel to no avail.
Iran is forcing Netanyahu to put up or shut up
This duty is all the more pressing for Israel under its current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. After all, he has spent decades warning about the existential threat Iran would pose if it ever got nuclear weapons. Netanyahu’s alarmist rhetoric has often painted him as a ‘Chicken Little.’
But Putin’ “Special Military Operation” is floundering. He’s facing a personal existential threat. And Putin’s desperation might make Netanyahu something of a Cassandra.
After all, Putin could become so desperate that he gives Iran nukes for its drones. Of course, he would spin this as righting the balance of power in the Middle East. After all, Iran having nuclear weapons would counter Israel having them. Never mind the perverse symmetry: Iran wants to “wipe Israel off the map.” Russia is wiping Ukraine off the map. The parallels are pretty disturbing.
Israel might feel no moral obligation to support Ukraine. But it should beware of the strategic alliance brewing between Russia and Iran. Because if Iran helps Russia destroy Ukraine, well, quid pro quo…
So here’s to Israel supporting Ukraine by helping itself. For starters, it should prevent Iran’s shipment of drones to Russia – by any means necessary. It’s OK to hold joint drills with the US that simulate striking Iran’s nuclear program, as it did yesterday. But that does nothing to help Ukraine.