Ukraine hopes that a Knesset bill allowing Israel to transfer Russian-made weapons seized in Lebanon to Ukraine will pass, according to a social media statement by the Ukrainian Embassy to Israel on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian Ambassador, Yevgen Korniychuk, hosted Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sharren Haskel, during which Korniychuk thanked Haskel for having proposed the bill and "expressed hope for a positive resolution," according to the statement.
If this bill were to pass, it would indicate a sharp change in Israeli policy toward the Russia-Ukraine war, with Jerusalem largely having held a neutral stance to date, and diplomatic relations between Moscow and Jerusalem would likely deteriorate heavily.
Israeli officials stated that the transfer of weapons from Israel to Ukraine was a private bill proposed by Haskel last November, before she was appointed as Deputy Foreign Minister, and does not constitute an official policy change by the government, according to KAN.
Korniychuk and Haskel also discussed "common challenges," including military cooperation between Iran and Russia, which "poses a threat to the national security of both Ukraine and Israel," the statement continues, adding that Korniychuk emphasized that successfully counteracting this threat is a "shared interest for both nations."
The weapons under discussion were seized by Israel in November during the Israel Defense Forces' advances into Southern Lebanon.
Some of the weapons found included modern Kornet anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) manufactured as recently as 2020, which had been sent to southern Lebanon from Russian stockpiles in Syria, according to Syrian security officials and an Arab official quoted in a November report by the Wall Street Journal.
Concerns over Russian ties with terror groups
While Israeli officials knew Hezbollah terrorists likely possessed some Russian-made arms, it was widely believed that these were less sophisticated, older weapons, according to the WSJ report.
Hezbollah terrorists' possession of newer, more advanced weapons is likely part of what bolstered their ability to fight back against Israel and counter airstrikes, which decimated the terrorist leadership, the WSJ report continued.
These discoveries added to Israeli fears that Russia may be deepening ties with Hezbollah terrorists, despite Moscow's assertions that it doesn't take sides in conflicts between Israel and its neighbors, according to the Journal report.
Approximately 60% to 70% of the weapons seized in the initial days of Israel's operations into southern Lebanon were of Russian origin, according to an IDF Major who spoke to the WSJ.