Why does Israel want to mediate in the war in Ukraine?

On Saturday March 5, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett traveled to Moscow where he met Vladimir Putin, before talking on the phone with Volodymyr Zelensky. Israel seems to offer itself as a mediator in this crisis.

He was the first foreign leader to visit Moscow since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine. On Saturday March 5, Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, traveled to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin, before talking on the phone with Volodymyr Zelensky, and, finally, flying to Germany to discuss with the Chancellor Olaf Scholz. A diplomatic marathon whose meaning is clear: Israel offers itself as a mediator in the Ukrainian crisis.

But why do you want to take on this role?

As explained Ha’Aretzthe first answer to this question is historical and demographic. “Over a million Israeli citizens [sur une population totale de 9 millions] were born in Russia or Ukraine”, points out the Tel Aviv daily, and as a result, “the government has many senior officials and advisers who are familiar with this situation”.

For example, the Israeli Minister of Construction and Housing, Zeev Elkin, was born in Kharkiv (one of the Ukrainian cities hardest hit by the bombardments) and “served as a translator in past meetings between Putin and Israeli prime ministers,” note the media.

Thus, between Jerusalem, Kiev and Moscow, historical and diplomatic ties seem to be intertwined, here

[…]