Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's comparison of the Russian invasion to the Nazi genocide.
When asked at a Monday news conference to react to Zelensky's comments, Bennett said that he understood that Zelensky is "a leader who is fighting for the life of his country" but that "I personally believe that it is forbidden to equate the Holocaust to anything," Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
His comments came a day after the Ukrainian president, who is also Jewish, implored Israeli lawmakers to step up efforts to help his country fight back against Russia.
“Why has Israel refrained from sanctions on Russia? Israel needs to give answers to these questions and after that, live with them,” Zelensky said.
He also asked Israel to send its Iron Dome missile defense system to Ukraine to help protect its citizens from Russian shelling that has devastated parts of the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has attempted to justify his invasion by saying that Moscow must intervene to "denazify" Ukraine.