Published: 13 March 2025
Last updated: 18 March 2025
Two weeks ago, Israel joined Iran, North Korea and Belarus in opposing a UN resolution which named and condemned Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine.
Its central reason in following these pariah dictatorships was because Donald Trump’s America had done so. This was how Netanyahu’s government commemorated the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.
Last July, Israel was only one of seven countries which attended Putin’s inauguration as Russian president for the fifth time. The Biden Administration, the Europeans and the rest of the world did not regard the election as free and fair. In March 2018, Israel’s official response to the Novichok poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury by Russian Military Intelligence was regarded as half-hearted by the British.
Although the UN vote will be explained away as dealing with the reality of a Trump-shaped globe, it was also the culmination of Netanyahu’s drift towards a remaking of Israel in his image. It commenced with the plans for “judicial reform” which provoked widespread protest in Israel. It has continued with the incitement against the Attorney-General Gali Baharov-Miara, who has insisted on the preservation of the rule of law.
The opposition to the UN resolution marked a formal shift from Israel’s position as a non-aligned actor to one lauding the Kremlin.
The opposition to the UN resolution marked a formal shift from Israel’s position as a non-aligned actor and potential mediator to one lauding the Kremlin and its rewriting of history. Netanyahu had heard his master’s voice in the White House and dutifully obeyed. Moreover, there has not been a scintilla of protest that the US Special Hostage Envoy, Adam Boehler, has been speaking directly to Hamas without informing Netanyahu.
Comments3
Irene Mansfield17 March at 01:07 pm
One irony of this tragic situation is that Trump may find that he has pushed Israel into a friendship with Russia which, under a different leader in Israel, may rival the friendship between Israel and the US. Thus Trump himself may have initiated a realignment in the Middle East, to the detriment of US interests.
Jeremy Brown13 March at 02:36 am
Colin, whilst I don’t believe I always share your view specifically on ‘right vs left’ in terms of Israel dealing with the palestinians, your observations and summary points in this article are superb.
Your understanding and ability to summarise and convey to the reader is excellent. Thank you for the clarity that you share.
Mark Drukker13 March at 12:22 am
I have argued locally that Russia invaded Ukraine, and took hostages, backed by Iran, North Korea and Assad, and Hamas invaded Israel, and took hostages, backed by Iran, North Korea and Assad.
I understand that Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs live in large homes in Israel, when they are sanctioned in the UK.
With the exception of the Ukrainian Chief Rabbi, Chabad generally support the right in Israel and around the word. They seem to be about the only Jewish group that is not in financial straits (probably because of tithes), and have infiltrated the United Synagogue, the Federation of Synagogues and orthodox groups around the world. I think Ivanka may have been converted by Chabad. Trump visited their Rebbe’s grave last year. Chabad once had the slogan that Jews should live under the Tsar than under Napoleon (be persecuted and not assimilate).