Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
“The Russian president warmly congratulated Naftali Bennett and the people of Israel on the occasion of Independence Day, the national holiday celebrated today. Mutual interest was expressed in the further development of friendly relations between Russia and Israel and the maintenance of beneficial contacts between the leaders of the two countries.
In addition, in a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, it was stated that Putin apologized for Lavrov’s remarks about Hitler. The Israeli prime minister also accepted the apology. While the Kremlin did not say this in its statement, the press secretary of Russian President Dmitry Peskov stated that “the topics of conversation were listed in the message. [Кремля]”.
Putin and Bennett “had a rich exchange of ideas” on the situation in Ukraine, particularly in Mariupol Azovstal.
“The Russian army is ready to ensure the safe exit of civilians. As for the militants remaining in Azovstal, the Kyiv authorities should order them to lay down their arms,” he said.
On the eve of Victory Day, celebrated on May 9 in both Russia and Israel, Putin and Bennett emphasized the special importance of this date for Russians and Israelis. The two countries “value historical facts about the events of those years and honor the memory of all the fallen, including the victims of the Holocaust.”
Putin reminded that 40% of the six million Jews who died as a result of Nazi crimes were citizens of the USSR. The President of the Russian Federation also asked the Israeli Prime Minister to convey his wishes for health and well-being to the World War II veterans living in his country.
In turn, Naftali Bennet noted the decisive contribution of the Red Army to the Victory over Nazism.
Hitler’s blood
The meeting between the Russian and Israeli leaders took place against the backdrop of a diplomatic scandal that had erupted earlier. On May 1, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov told Italian journalists that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “made an argument: what kind of Nazism they could have if they were Jewish.”
“I may be wrong, but Hitler also had Jewish blood,” said the head of the State Department. However, Lavrov noted that this “means nothing”, because the Jews themselves are “as a rule, the brightest anti-Semitic Jews”, he says.
Following these words of Lavrov, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov. According to The Jerusalem Post, Viktorov was invited to a meeting with Gary Koren, Deputy Director General of the Eurasian Department of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid described Lavrov’s statements as inexcusable and unconscionable,” JP reported.
“The Jews did not destroy themselves during the Holocaust. “Accusing Jews of antisemitism is a blatant level of racism against Jews,” he said.
Lavrov’s statement was also criticized by Russian Chief Rabbi Berl Lazar.
“I don’t think I have the right to advise the head of Russian diplomacy – but it would be nice if he apologized to the Jews and admitted that he was wrong. Then I think it will be possible to settle the matter and turn the page,” he said.
On May 3, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement on the Telegram channel, following Lavrov’s words. “On Antisemitism”.
“We drew attention to the antihistorical statements of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, which largely explains the current Israeli government’s process of supporting the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
He also states that despite the existence of the law “On Preventing and Combating Anti-Semitism in Ukraine” signed by Volodymyr Zelensky in 2020, its norms are not valid.
“Everyday and political anti-Semitism and Nazism are not suppressed, but fed,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Source: Gazeta
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