Tag: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In an Expected Move, Russia Decides to Open Jerusalem Embassy Branch

Ms. Cat

Russia plans to establish a branch of its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem, the Russian Foreign Ministry revealed on Friday. The new outpost, which an official statement described as a “branch office of the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy in Israel,” cements Moscow’s claim to the land on which it is situated.

In an Expected Move, Russia Decides to Open Jerusalem Embassy Branch

Israel and its US lobby Dealt Major Blow by China Saudi Iran Peace Initiative

Ms. Cat

On Thursday the New York Times ran yet another report about Saudi Arabia’s entry into an “Abraham Accord,” but if only certain conditions could be met. It quoted longtime Israel lobby heavyweight Martin Indyk and reported on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s think tank the Washington Institute for Near East Policy “expert” delegation’s visit to Riyadh to finalize a deal. Then on Friday explosive news broke that China had successfully concluded a secret peace agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Israel and its US lobby Dealt Major Blow by China Saudi Iran Peace Initiative

Reciprocity: Zelensky Demanded Weapons from Netanyahu for Pro-Israel UN Vote

Ms. Cat

Reciprocity: Zelensky Demanded Weapons from Netanyahu for Pro-Israel UN Vote

In the previous anti-Israel UN vote (and most other UN votes), Ukraine voted against Israel. That did not go over well in Israel. Israel has also been a world leader in supplying Ukraine with humanitarian aid.

According to a report by Barak Ravid, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday evening asking Ukraine to vote against the UN resolution. Zelenskyy demanded reciprocity and a change in Israeli policy, asking Israel to supply defensive weapons to Ukraine, in particular, against Russian ballistic missiles and the Iranian suicide drones that Russia has been using to attack Ukraine.

Related:

PA Celebrating UN Resolution Asking ICC to Investigate Israel’s ‘Occupation’

The Foreign Ministry and Israel’s embassies lobbied some 100 countries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, too, spoke with the leaders of several countries and managed to convince at least five leaders not to vote in favor of the decision – the leaders of Croatia, Togo, Greece, Romania, and Kenya. Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid also took part in the efforts, sending letters to more than 60 world leaders ahead of the vote.

Israel, the US, and 24 other members––including the UK and Germany––voted against the resolution, while France was among the 53 nations that abstained. The US entered Israel’s nay vote since the resolution was passed on Shabbat, a move that UN Envoy Gilad Erdan called “shameful.”