Israel’s Shuttle Diplomacy in Russia-Ukraine War – Is it Helping?

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of Israel, in an effort at virtual and actual diplomacy, which included a lightning visit to Russian President Putin in Moscow, has just spoken to Ukrainian President Zelensky for the fourth time in three days.

Is something happening under the radar?

Here to discuss is David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh, Israel, and author of “Confronting Radicals: What America Can Learn from Israel”.

Q&A:

Are we seeing a peace negotiation in the works?
Answer: What we are seeing is actual and virtual shuttle diplomacy being attempted by one of the few countries, Israel, that is acceptable to both sides.
How can Israel be neutral about this invasion?
Answer: Israel isn’t neutral at all. Our leadership has condemned the invasion and voted against it in the UN, but due to our regional interests, we have maintained contact and communication with Putin, which puts Israel in a unique position of having ongoing communication with, and the trust of, both Putin and Zelensky.
What is being discussed?
Answer: As in any negotiation, it starts with initial feelers and advances to the stage of the two sides making demands. That is where it stands right now, but hopefully, it might advance to the process of give and take, which may be the only way to get to a peaceful end to this conflict.
Are there any signs of what that give and take might include?
Answer: Obviously, Zelensky wants to end the invasion ASAP and to maintain and strengthen his country’s independence, while Putin is concerned about supporting the ethnic Russian population in Ukraine and is also doesn’t want Ukraine to join NATO. Clearly, he would also love to rebuild the Soviet empire again in some new form, but that’s obviously a non-starter in any negotiation.

In your books, such as “Confronting Radicals: What America Can Learn from Israel” and “Trump and the Jews”, you discussed the concept of peace through strength and how strong leadership in the free world actually prevents wars. Where can our listeners/viewers get a copy?
Answer: They can go to my website, which is www.DavidRubinIsrael.com, or just go to Amazon.com and type in the words “Confronting Radicals: What America Can Learn from Israel”.

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