Diplomatic tit-for-tat? Israel abstains from UN vote on Russian reparations to Ukraine

Israel was the only Western country abstaining from the vote, which passed by a wide margin.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel abstained from a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution demanding Russian reparations to Ukraine on Monday night.

The timing sparked speculation that the abstention was signal of Jerusalem’s displeasure with Ukraine’s recent vote in favor of a resolution to seek a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s personal aide, Alexey Arestovych, said on Sunday that Ukraine’s decision to vote in favor of an anti-Israel resolution two days earlier was “a grave mistake.”

“Ukraine must at least abstain from such votes,” he added.

Israel was the only Western country abstaining from the vote, which passed by a wide margin. The non-binding resolution received 94 votes in favor, 13 against and 74 abstentions.

No official explanation for the abstention has been offered, but Israeli sources suggest that the resolution could set a potential precedent for the Palestinians to demand Israeli reparations.

World Israel News contributed to this report.