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Why Israel Must Not Provide the Iron Dome to Ukraine

(Israel Hayom) Brig.-Gen. (res.) Prof. Jacob Nagel - Ukraine has not relented in its efforts to have Israel provide it with Iron Dome air defense technology. But Jerusalem must not send Iron Dome or other weapon systems to Ukraine and it should not be expected to do so. The most important reason is that it is almost certain that any system provided to Ukraine will ultimately fall into the hands of the Russians and subsequently be transferred intact to the Iranians. Iran will then develop capabilities that would overcome Iron Dome's defense and ultimately lower its effectiveness. This would result in a potentially greater destructive potential for Hizbullah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad when they target Israel in future wars. One cannot expect Israel to compromise the core (and secret) capabilities that it needs to defend itself. The second reason is that Israel still doesn't have enough interceptors for its own operational needs (especially when it comes to countering the threat on the northern border). It is going to take years to bolster our production capacity. Moreover, Ukraine would need many more interceptors than Israel can provide, because of its massive size. The U.S. has been adamant in its refusal to provide Kyiv with advanced air defense systems such as the THAAD or Patriot. The U.S. doesn't even have enough air defense systems to cover its own deployed forces. Those who have been critical of Israel for not sending the Iron Dome or other sophisticated systems to Ukraine should take a look in the mirror and ask why they have not held the U.S. to the same standard. The writer is a former national security adviser to the prime minister and head of Israel's National Security Council.
2022-11-07 00:00:00
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