Bennett said to refuse Ukraine request to cancel ‘Victory Day’ event in Israel

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has refused a request by Ukraine to cancel or bring forward an event for “Victory Day” in Israel, Channel 12 reports.

Victory Day, marked in Russia on May 9, is the country’s most important secular holiday, commemorating the Soviet Red Army’s determination and losses in World War II.

Israel also holds events on that day for immigrants from Russia and former Soviet countries, military veterans among them. The UK, the US, France and other countries hold Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) on May 8, when Germany surrendered to Allied forces.

The main ceremony for Victory Day in Israel is held at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl National Cemetery, an event to which envoys for the former Soviet republics and other countries who participated in WWII are always invited.

Both Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky relayed messages to Bennett asking to hold the event on May 8, with other countries, or cancel it altogether, Channel 12 says. The Prime Minister’s Office denied the request, according to the report.

This development comes as ties between Jerusalem and Moscow became tense this past week following Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s claim Sunday that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler had Jewish blood.

Israel strongly denounced the top diplomat’s false claims, meant to justify the invasion of a country Russia has claimed is led by Nazis, but whose president is Jewish. Russia initially doubles down on the claim, but Putin has since apologized in a call with Bennett.

The Israeli Absorption Ministry said earlier this week that the ceremony at Mount Herzl and all other events will take place as scheduled on May 9 amid reports that no foreign dignitaries were invited this year.

About 1.5 million Jews fought in Allied armies during World War II, including 500,000 in the Red Army, 550,000 in the US army, 100,000 in the Polish army and 30,000 in the British army, according to Yad Vashem.

Some of those who fought in the Red Army served in the highest levels of command. About 200,000 Soviet Jewish soldiers fell on the battlefield or into German captivity. Those who survived built families and careers in the Soviet Union, until the Communist regime collapsed and many of them ended up in Israel.