President Zelenskyy's Zoom speech to the Knesset was live streamed today above HaBima Square in Tel Aviv. Hundreds of Israelis turned out to watch and show their support. Ukrainian-Israelis and Russian-Israelis protesting against the Putin regime made up a bulk of the audience. Many new arrivals to Israel from war torn Ukraine also attended.
The speech was not without controversy, though. Zelenskyy's Holocaust metaphor and particularly harsh tone towards Israel's government drew severe ire. It was the Holocaust comparison that attrached most of the backlash.
However, it should be obvious that two things can be true at once. The first being that the comparison was inaccurate. The second should be an understanding that he is doing everything to help save his country and people who are being relentlessly attacked. Too much of the criticism against him for these comments lacks the empathy and understanding for the position he is in right now.
It is a more complex question to dissect the policies of the Israeli government towards Ukraine during the war. Humanitarian aid from Israel has flowed to Ukraine the entire time and the new Israel field hospital is being launched in Mostyska, about an hour and a half outside of Lviv in the western part of the country.
Below: Israelis watch and cheer Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy's speech to the Knesset at HaBima Square in Tel Aviv.
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