Its effects extend beyond the borders of the two countries
Israeli-Russian relations are deteriorating, and the Middle East is preparing for the repercussions
S-300 missiles were launched at Israeli aircraft over Syria last May.
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Lapid was tough in his criticism of the war in Ukraine. Archive
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Since the Ukrainian war at the end of last February, Russian Jews have migrated to Israel in increasing numbers, as a result of their anger over this war, and their fear of being persecuted. About 20,500 Russian Jews, out of 165 thousand in Russia, left for Israel, and this is expected to continue immigration.
This immigration is part of the large numbers of Russians who oppose this war, but at the same time it is considered a sign of the escalation of tensions between Russia and Israel, and the development of this relationship will have political and security implications for Israel and the entire Middle East.
Currently, the leadership of the Russian Jewish community is divided over how to respond to the war in Ukraine.
On the one hand, Russia's chief rabbi, Berel Lazar, called for peace and offered to mediate, but at the same time attended Russia's Victory Day parade last May, in an implicit reference to the Kremlin.
On the other hand, the chief rabbi of Moscow, Benchas Goldschmidt, fled Russia after refusing to condone the war.
Fearing that history will repeat itself
Russian Jews seem more united in their historical memory, given their strong ties with Ukraine (as well as Moldova and Belarus), Russian Jews suffered greatly during earlier eras of turmoil in the country, and those who left Russia fear history will easily repeat itself.
Although there is no state anti-Semitism in Russia at the present time, there are several events that have raised concerns within Russian society.
Last March, for example, after a Jewish journalist, Alexei Vendiktov, was fined for speaking Ukrainian on a radio show, the entrance to his house was vandalized by posting many anti-Semitic symbols, in addition to a severed pig's head.
Moscow also threatened to close the local branch of the Jewish Agency in Israel, an organization established in 1929 to facilitate Jewish immigration to Israel.
Even the Ukraine war was "legitimized" by the use of anti-Semitic slogans.
The Russian media used to say that the war was necessary to eliminate Nazism in Ukraine, and evidence of this was the presence of militias led by the far-right Azov Batlion, and the roots of these militias go back to neo-Nazis, and participated in the siege of the Ukrainian port of Mariupol.
The defeat of the Ukrainian right
However, the Ukrainian far-right was defeated in the country's recent elections, while Ukraine's elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is himself a Jew.
And when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was told last May at a press conference that Zelensky was Jewish, he replied that Adolf Hitler himself had Jewish origins, and anger resulted in Israel, and Prime Minister Yair Lapid said, “The lowest level of racism against Jews is to accuse them.” anti-Semitism” and this led to the deterioration of relations with Russia.
Although former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was conservative in his comments about the war in Ukraine, Lapid was highly critical of them.
In the midst of this tension, Israel faces challenges with regional implications.
For example, if Moscow moves to end the security arrangements that have given Israel relative freedom to attack sites in Syria, it could make Israel's raids on Syria more difficult.
Russia maintains a naval base in the Mediterranean and could use its assets to complicate Israeli plans to export gas to Europe.
Military engagements have already taken place.
Last May, Russia launched S-300 missiles against Israeli aircraft in Syria.
In June, Russia threatened Israel that it would file a complaint against Israel in the UN Security Council, after Israel bombed Damascus International Airport.
Then, in July, Russia fired "warning shots" at an F-16 that entered Syrian airspace.
Israeli elections
In fact, relations with Russia influence internal politics in Israel.
As the Israelis prepare to go to the elections next November, for the legislative elections, many are watching to see whether Lapid's tough stance toward the Russians will bear fruit in the upcoming elections.
Israel's Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet) asked Russia not to interfere in the elections, although the Israeli government denied this report.
Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees Lapid's tough stance on Russia as an opportunity to improve his political future.
Netanyahu, who prides himself on his close relationship with Moscow, accused Lapid of risking Israel's "calculated, balanced, and responsible" friendship with Russia, in order to explode a crisis that endangers Israel's national security.
The war in Ukraine led to wide geopolitical shifts in the region, and it is no coincidence that when US President Joe Biden visited Israel last July, Russian President Vladimir Putin was meeting with the presidents of both Iran and Turkey in Tehran.
But as Russian Jews vote by emigrating to Israel, and new alliances are formed, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the international community must remind both Israel and Russia that their relationship has implications far beyond their borders.
Daniesh Kamat is a political analyst focusing on the Middle East and South Asia
The leadership of the Russian Jewish community is divided over how to respond to the war in Ukraine. On the one hand, Russia's chief rabbi, Berel Lazar, called for peace and offered to mediate, but at the same time attended Russia's Victory Day parade last May, in an implicit reference to the Kremlin.
Relations with Russia affect internal politics in Israel. As Israelis prepare to go to elections next November for legislative elections, many are watching to see whether Lapid's tough stance on the Russians will pay off in the upcoming elections.
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