By Biodun Busari
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has said Israel would not supply weapons to Ukraine to fight Russia as the eight-month-long war persists.
In the agonies of rocket and drone attacks, the Israeli government sympathised with Ukraine saying it could only help the besieged country with an early-warning system of incoming strikes.
Gantz said this on Wednesday while speaking to a group of European Union ambassadors, according to The Times of Israel.
This is coming a day after Ukraine said it would submit a formal request for Israeli air defence systems like Iron Dome, but Gantz ruled out the sale of such weapons.
Gantz said: “Israel supports and stands with Ukraine, NATO, and the West. This is something we have said in the past and repeat today. Israel has a policy of supporting Ukraine via humanitarian aid, and the delivery of life-saving defensive equipment.”
“This being said, I would like to emphasize that Israel will not deliver weapon systems to Ukraine due to a variety of operational considerations.
“We will continue to support Ukraine within our limitations, as we have done in the past,” he said.
We have sent a request to the Ukrainians to share information about their needs for air defence alerts. Once we gain this information, we will be able to assist in the development of a life-saving civilian early-warning system,” Gantz added.
Israel’s warning system uses a mix of radar and electro-optic devices to detect rocket, missile, and drone launches, classify the size and the threat they represent, and pinpoint on a map the areas that are in danger.
The system has been credited with saving hundreds of lives over the years during flare-ups of violence with terror groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, which have launched thousands of projectiles at Israeli cities.