The Foreign Ministry intends to expand its humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and will for the first time officially provide financial support to civil aid organizations operating in the war-torn country, the broadcaster reported on Monday. Kan public.
The development comes amid a diplomatic row with Russia that has threatened to shut down the Israel Jewish Agency quasi-governmental organization, which is tasked with facilitating and encouraging Jewish immigration to Israel. Moscow, which has bristled at Israel’s support for Ukraine, has said it will stop the Jewish Agency’s operations in Russia.
While Israel has in the past provided support directly to the Ukrainian authorities, the ministry said that NIS 2.5 million ($726,335) in aid will additionally be given directly to nine civil society organizations, according to the report.
In a statement to Kan, the Foreign Ministry said the move “has no connection” with diplomatic ties between Israel and Russia.
He noted that since the beginning of the fighting in February, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the ministry has been providing humanitarian assistance to refugees and the wounded through its Agency for International Development Cooperation, known as Mashav.
“With the war dragging on, Mashav is working to provide humanitarian assistance in a variety of creative ways, both directly and in cooperation with third-party entities operating in Ukraine,” the ministry said.
As part of that ongoing work, the ministry said, it put out a call to non-profit organizations on the ground with the aim of finding “aid projects that meet the criteria” defined by Mashav.
The proposal was published a month ago, but the final choice of nine organizations was only revealed in the last few days, Kan reported.
The ministry noted that it has already provided hundreds of tons of personal equipment and medicine, as well as operating a field hospital for several weeks earlier this year. In addition, Mashav is providing online training for thousands of Ukrainians on topics such as community resilience building and trauma treatment, assistance for people with disabilities and victims of sexual violence, the ministry said.
“Israel is committed to continuing to help the citizens of Ukraine and alleviate their plight,” the ministry said.
A shipment of protective equipment for Ukraine is loaded onto a flight from Israel, July 14, 2022. (Defense Ministry)
Last month, Russian authorities told the Jewish Agency that its offices could face sanctions for alleged breaches of local laws. Organization officials initially believed this was a low-level issue that could be resolved through negotiations and compromise.
Moscow’s reasons for attacking the quasi-governmental organization remain unclear, as Russian officials have yet to indicate what steps, if any, Israel might take that would lead them to cancel their threats to shut down the group. which has the task of facilitating and encouraging the Jews. immigration to Israel.
Earlier this month, Israel sent a second shipment of protective equipment to Ukraine’s emergency services, including 1,500 helmets, 1,500 protective vests, hundreds of mine protection suits, 1,000 gas masks and dozens of hazardous material filtration systems.
On Monday, the Foreign Ministry issued a new travel advisory to Israeli citizens to avoid visiting Ukraine, including the pilgrimage town of Uman.
Israeli citizens already in Ukraine were asked to leave immediately.
“The explosive security situation, including the danger of aerial bombardment or rocket fire at settlements and civilian areas, including in the center and west of the country, constitutes a real and immediate danger to life,” the ministry said.
View of the Jewish Agency headquarters in Jerusalem, November 29, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Jerusalem has avoided providing Kyiv with direct military aid, including offensive weapons or advanced defensive technology, since Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 in a bid to avert a crisis with Moscow.
But Israel has found itself at odds with Russia as it has increasingly supported Ukraine as it sought to maintain freedom of movement in the skies over Syria, which are largely controlled by Moscow.
