Zelensky already addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the British House of Commons, the joint houses of the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, urging the world leaders to aid his country in the wake of the Russian aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, on Sunday at 6 pm Israeli time via video link from Kyiv, an address which will also be broadcasted at Habima plaza in Tel Aviv.
Since the Knesset is currently on its winter recess steps have been taken to ensure that as many of the 120 Knesset members as possible attend the address in person.
Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy has been in touch with Ukrainian officials, who requested for special arrangements to be made to enable the virtual address.
Zelensky already addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the British House of Commons, the joint houses of the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, urging the world leaders to aid his country in the wake of the Russian aggression.
In his address to the British parliament, he echoed the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s rallying call during World War II. “We’ll fight in forests, fields, streets,” he said during the speech to the applause of the British MPs.
Speaking tot the members of the U.S. Congress, the Ukrainian president invoked the horror of the 9/11 terror attacks on the US as he pleaded for more military aid for his country. He again urged the US and Nato allies to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
He told the members of the German parliament this week that a new type of Berlin Wall is being built by Russia’s invasion, dividing Europe between freedom and oppression.
Israeli media reported last week that Zelensky had also sought to hold a rally for Ukraine at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial and museum in Jerusalem, during which he would have spoken speak to the crowd via video.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Kornichuk said Zelensky wante to speak at Yad Vashem because he is Jewish and because he considers the Russian invasion of Ukraine a genocide.
According tot he Israeli media, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan expressed support for Ukraine ata meeting with the ambassador but deemed that holding a political event at Yad Vashem would be inappropriate. He also objected to the claim that the invasion of Ukraine is analogous to the Holocaust, and felt Yad Vashem should not be seen as supporting such a comparison.
The Yad Vashem memorial has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the “trivialization and distortion” of the Holocaust employed by the Kremlin. Russian propaganda has depicted Ukrainian leaders, including Zelensky, as Nazi sympathizers.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has attempted to mediate between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky. He spoke with both leaders several times and even flew to Moscow to meet Putin earlier this month.