Mixed feelings in Israel over Bennett’s mediation efforts on Ukraine
The Israeli opposition is criticizing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as overeager to drag Israel into the Russia-Ukraine quagmire.
Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger used to say, “Israel has no foreign policy, it has only a domestic policy.” This observation has been often invoked by pundits commenting on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s intense efforts to serve as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine.
He was lauded for his secret trip to the Kremlin March 5, and since then, for his frequent phone calls with the presidents of both Russia and Ukraine. But why does Israel feel the need to insert itself into this diplomatic quagmire, and why was Bennett so eager to get into the game? Was it national interest that motivated him, or was it personal?
Bennett is an unpopular prime minister who came to power in a unique set of circumstances. He heads a small party, and even now, 10 months after he entered office, he has yet to win over the public and has yet to be described as a statesman.
Bennett now claims he wants to prevent a global catastrophe by exploiting Israel’s advantageous position as one of very few countries that have close relations with both Russia and Ukraine. He describes his actions as the fulfillment of Israel’s moral obligation to prevent bloodshed: “Even if the chances are slim, as soon as there is the smallest opening … as long as the candle is still lit, we must make effort and perhaps even act,” he told the cabinet upon returning from the Kremlin.
