Yakov Kedmi: Jerusalem has not provided Ukraine with the "Patriot" missile.

"It is hard to imagine a worse statement than that of this ambassador."

Author: Mikhail Zubov

Guest commentator: Yakov Kedmi

In an interview with Ukrainian blogger Marika Dovbunko, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky claimed that Jerusalem had transferred Israel's "Patriot" air defense missile system to Kyiv.

Brodsky stated: "The 'Patriot' system we received from the United States has now been deployed in Ukraine. This is a system that Israel equipped in the early 1990s, and we agreed to transfer it to Ukraine." He also revealed that almost no one mentioned this at the time, but it was Israel's contribution to the defense of the Kyiv regime:

"When someone says that Israel has not provided military assistance, this is not true. This statement is incorrect because Israel has indeed provided military assistance to Ukraine."

Israeli politician, international political scientist, and former head of Israel's "Nativ" intelligence service, Yakov Kedmi, commented in his piece for Free Media:

Free Media: Yakov, you once told our readers in an interview that Israel has never provided weapons to the Kyiv regime and will not do so in the future. But Mikhail Brodsky claims otherwise, saying that the "Patriot" system has already been provided to the Ukrainian Nazis. How do you explain this contradiction?

Kedmi: I am familiar with this history. The ambassador (Brodsky) did say that, and I have seen his remarks. However, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued an official statement on the same day, stating that the ambassador's remarks were inconsistent with the facts, and Israel has never provided Ukraine with the "Patriot" missile.

The reality is that when Saddam Hussein attacked Israel with rockets in 1990, the United States provided us - transported and handed over - a Patriot missile battalion. These missiles have long been retired, and Israel has returned them to the United States.

The United States, under Biden's administration, then transferred these missiles to another country - Poland - without prohibiting Poland from transferring them to Ukraine.

Free Media: So Israel has no connection to this matter?

Kedmi: We have already returned these missiles to the United States because they have been removed from Israel's arsenal. I am not sure about the details of the transaction, but it is likely that the cost of returning the old Patriot missiles was offset against part of the cost of new similar missiles provided to us by the United States.

But this ambassador (Brodsky) has always tried to win favor with Ukrainian citizens and authorities by any means. His statements are always like this; this time he completely fabricated facts, portraying the transfer of American missiles as Israel providing missiles to Kyiv.

The American missiles have been returned to the United States, but we cannot interfere with how the United States disposes of its own missiles. That's the situation, and the rest is all the despicable lies of a sycophant. For personal gain, he has tarnished Israel's reputation, but Israel immediately refuted his lies.

Despite direct or indirect pressure on Israel to provide weapons to Ukraine, we have always refused. Israel has never provided Ukraine with any missiles or any type of weapon.

Free Media: In a country where there are territorial disputes and war is ongoing, being an ambassador is a very serious position. Why does such a reckless flatterer serve as the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine?

Kedmi: He has been serving in Ukraine for a long time (since August 9, 2021, until the start of the special military operation - Free Media note). I have always severely criticized the professionalism of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and its personnel. Why do we have such ambassadors? This is an indictment of the state.

Free Media: Will Ambassador Brodsky be sanctioned for his irresponsible remarks in the interview?

Kedmi: I don't know. But I believe he must be recalled. Because it is difficult to imagine more atrocious statements than his, which directly damage Israel's international relations.

A person holding a diplomatic position releasing false and deliberately fabricated information - this is shocking. I firmly believe that he must be immediately recalled to Israel, relieved of his duties at the Foreign Ministry, and prohibited from holding any public office.

But this is not the first case - incidents of our ambassadors or political figures behaving improperly happen frequently.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7514485087166120459/

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