Israel and Ukraine in one package

From the materials of an expert survey, November 2023

At the end of October to early November, a survey was conducted among Israeli experts on “Israel after the war”, including questions regarding parallels between the Ukrainian and Palestinian conflicts.

The war between Israel and HAMAS, which began on October 7, 2023, has significantly impacted the geopolitical situation not only in the Middle East but also worldwide. Since the start of this war, the United States has expressed unequivocal support for Israel. Support for Israel is one of the few topics on which Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. do not have disagreements.

However, during his address to the U.S. public on October 20, 2023, Joe Biden linked military support for Israel with military support for Ukraine. Regarding support for Ukraine, there are significant disagreements between Democrats and Republicans regarding the forms and extent of this assistance. Just yesterday, Biden vetoed a Republican-backed bill, passed by the House of Representatives, aimed at aiding only Israel. Joe Biden intertwined these two conflicts with the idea of two “fronts on two continents.”

In connection with this, several questions arise about the validity and appropriateness of such interconnection, as well as the potential consequences of such a decision.

1. How much it is in Israel’s interest to combine American aid (military, humanitarian, financial) to Israel and Ukraine in one package?

2. What do you think about the appropriateness of comparing the Russian-Ukrainian conflict with the current war between Israel and HAMAS?

3. To what extent does U.S. military and financial aid accelerate/prolong the conflict for Israel/Ukraine?

4. To what extent is it in Israel’s interest to end the Ukrainian conflict as soon as possible?

Conclusions