Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned Belarusian Ambassador Yuri Yaroshvich to an urgent reprimand on Wednesday, in response to remarks by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The meeting was ordered by Foreign Ministry Director-General Eden Bar Tal under instructions from Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
Bar Tal told the ambassador that Israel views Lukashenko’s comments with the utmost severity. Lukashenko had accused a “Jewish lobby” and compared the Holocaust to the Israel Defense Forces’ fighting against terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip. Bar Tal said the comments were antisemitic and offensive, and that they insult the memory of the Holocaust and its victims.
Israel also rejected any attempt to draw a comparison between the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people in World War II and Israel’s war against jihadist terrorism. The ministry said such language is hateful, disgraceful and unacceptable.
The dispute erupted after Lukashenko attacked Israel in an interview with Al Arabiya. He claimed Israel’s actions in Gaza had damaged its international standing, asked, “On what Holocaust can they talk?”, accused Israel of harming civilians widely, and said the United States could force Israel to change policy. He also argued there is no military solution to Middle East conflicts. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and has long faced Western and human rights criticism over political repression and limits on civil liberties.
