Israel Does Not Place Its Relations with the U.S. and Russia on the Same Plane – Zalman Shoval
(dailyalert.org, Apr. 25, 2014)

Reports surfaced that officials in Washington are angry with Israel for its “display of neutrality” with regards to the Russian “invasion” of the Crimea. Israel is not “neutral” and does not place its relations with the U.S. and Russia on the same plane: The U.S. is a friend and ally and its democratic values are ones that most Israelis espouse.

    However, Vladimir Putin’s Russia is not the communist Soviet Union and its relations with Israel are completely different, for the better. Israel also holds a sense of responsibility for the Jews in Russia and in Ukraine. Some 200,000 Jews live in Ukraine today, even more in Russia. Any unequivocal stance taken by Israel in support of one side or another in the conflict would be to the detriment of both Israel and our fellow Jews in those nations. 

The writer is a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. (Israel Hayom)