Russia ‘Very Disappointed’ with Israel’s UN Vote to Condemn Invasion

Russia’s embassy in Tel Aviv has reportedly conveyed Moscow’s “disappointment” with Israel over its condemnation of Russia at the United Nations to the Foreign Ministry.

In a missive sent in recent days, the embassy said Russia was “very disappointed by your position at the UN,” Channel 13 reported Monday, March 7.

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly last week to adopt a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Israel joining 140 other countries in the 193-member body to demand that Moscow immediately withdraw its forces from the soil of its sovereign neighbor.

The final tally of the vote on the resolution, entitled “Aggression against Ukraine,” was 141-5 with 35 abstentions.

The only countries that voted against the resolution alongside Russia were Syria, North Korea, Belarus and Eritrea — a powerful indication of the international isolation that Russian President Vladimir Putin faces for invading his country’s smaller neighbor. Among those that abstained were China, India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and South Africa.

Ahead of the vote, Deputy UN Ambassador Noa Furman read a statement urging Russia to cease its attack on Ukraine and calling the invasion “a serious violation of the international order.”

Days earlier, Israel had declined a US request to co-sponsor a resolution condemning Russia in the UN Security Council.

Since tensions between Russia and Ukraine began escalating, Israel has sought to avoid aligning too closely with either side. It is one of the few countries that maintains relatively warm relations with both Ukraine, a fellow Western democracy, and Russia, which controls the airspace over Syria, in which Israel operates to target Iranian proxies.

Over the past week, Israel has taken great efforts to further develop a potential role as a mediator between the Russians and Ukrainians, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett flying to Moscow on Saturday, March 5, to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, becoming the first Western leader to sit down with the Russian leader since he invaded Ukraine on February 24. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we ask that You advance the cause of peace between Israel and the rest of the region.”