After being praised for being the only one capable of bridging the gaps between Russia and Ukraine, which are in the midst of the bloody war, Israeli officials concede Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is no longer actively involved in the mediation process.
The main mediator advancing the peace effort now appears to be Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with Israeli officials saying the move has received the full blessing of Bennett, who currently appears to be overwhelmed by domestic problems.
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin
(Photo: AFP, AP, Reuters)
Still the sources say Jerusalem will jump back into the game if Ankara's initiatives fail – a possibility they do not rule out.
The prime minister, meanwhile, is 100% focused on Israel's security situation and the latest wave of terror attacks.
The officials denied claims by a Ukrainian member of parliament, who claimed Bennett refused to talk of the phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky recently. They say the two men will speak in the near future.
"The focus is now concentrated on direct talks between the sides and our attention is focused on the holy month of Ramadan, celebrated by the Muslim population in Israel and in the West Bank and on the security crisis," the source said.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressing Ukraine and Russian delegates at ceasefire talks late last month
(Photo: EPA)
A source said the Ukrainians understand Israel has little to offer them, and the Turkish option is currently more relevant," the source said in a conversation with Ynet.
The cooling in relations between Ukraine and Israel may be due to Zelensky's combative speech to Knesset members last month, which sparked angry comments from legislators who said the Ukrainian president was rewriting history by comparing the plight of his country to the Holocaust.
Some went so far as to say Zelensky was exhibiting a lack of gratitude for Israel's mediation efforts.
At the same time, media reports claimed Israel had recommended to Ukraine to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin's terms for a ceasefire, placing Israel in Ukrainian eyes, as favoring Russia.
Two weeks ago, Bennett discussed a possible visit to Kyiv as part of his mediation efforts, and even tasked the security agencies with preparing such a trip. Now, that option is no longer on the table.
Further proof that Bennett is no longer involved in the mediations efforts can be found in the visit this week of a Ukrainian delegation, headed by Zelensky's top advisor Sergey Nachmanovich, to Israel. The advisor met with a slew of Israeli ministers and officials, but not the prime minister.
According to sources, the delegation had not raised the issue of Israel's involvement in the talks in any of the meetings since its arrival, but continued to press for Israel to supply Ukraine with weapons, as well as call for Jerusalem to impose sanctions on Russia and to increase the quota of Ukrainian refugees allowed to seek shelter in Israel.