Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Tuesday condemned atrocities committed by Russian forces in the Ukrainian town of Bucha near Kyiv. This is the first time an Israeli lawmaker has explicitly blamed Russia following its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
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Speaking to media in Athens, where he met with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts, Lapid called Russia’s actions “war crimes.” He said that the images and testimony emerging from Ukraine are “horrific” and blamed “Russian forces [for committing] war crimes against a defenceless civilian population.”
“Once again, the ground is soaked with the blood of innocent civilians,” Lapid said.
“I strongly condemn these war crimes,” he added and called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine unjustified. Lapid was in Athens to discuss the opportunities offered by the war in Ukraine in the global energy market with Greek and Cypriot foreign ministers—Nikos Dendias and Ioannis Kasoulides.
Lapid’s statement marks the first time a high-level Israeli official has publicly criticised Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Until now, while Israel has stated that it respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and even voted for a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling on Russia to end the war, it has refused to explicitly blame Russia.
It is impossible to remain indifferent in the face of the horrific images from the city of Bucha near Kiev, from after the Russian army left.
— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid🟠 (@yairlapid) April 3, 2022
Intentionally harming a civilian population is a war crime and I strongly condemn it.
Most notably, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has refrained from mentioning Russia in his statements about the situation in Ukraine. Regarding the atrocities committed in Bucha, while Bennett condemned the events, he stopped short of accusing Moscow. Speaking to the Israeli public broadcaster, Kan Radio, Bennett said that Israel is “shocked by the terrible sights in Bucha” and “we are doing everything we can to assist.”
Israel has positioned itself as a possible mediator in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. However, Israel also relies on Russia’s support to conduct airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria.
Following Russia’s intervention in the civil war in 2015 to prop up the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israel has been forced to maintain a direct line of communication with Russia regarding its operations, so as to prevent an incident in which Russian forces are targeted by Israeli airstrikes. So far, Russia and Israel have been able to establish a common understanding regarding their role in the conflict and per reports, Israel is keen on maintaining the status quo and not jeopardising ties with Russia.
While Moscow is yet to comment on Lapid’s statement, it has welcomed Israel’s stance so far and its efforts to act as a mediator. Moreover, Russia issued a travel advisory on Tuesday urging its citizens not to travel to “unfriendly” and “dangerous” European countries, while stating that Israel, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey are safe places to travel.
Following Moscow’s military retreat from Kyiv and surrounding regions, Bucha gained international attention as crimes committed by the Russian forces were made public. In Bucha, Ukrainian officials said that they found dead bodies with their hands tied behind their backs, claiming that Russian troops executed as many as 400 civilians.