Lukashenko's Words on Gaza Spark Diplomatic Scandal 0 15

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Belarusian ambassador in Tel Aviv, Yuri Yaroshevich, for an official reprimand following President Alexander Lukashenko's remarks about the actions of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry, the reason for the summons was the Belarusian leader's statements in which he drew parallels between Israel's military operation in Gaza and the Holocaust.

"Israel firmly rejects the comparison of the horrors of the Holocaust, which also took place on Belarusian soil, with Israel's just war against terror," the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The Director General of the Israeli foreign ministry, Eden Bar-Tal, personally summoned the Belarusian diplomat to clarify Israel's position.

Additionally, the Israeli foreign ministry deemed Lukashenko's words unacceptable, stating that the international community pays significant attention to crimes against Israelis but does not respond adequately to what is happening in the Gaza Strip.

The sharp reaction from Tel Aviv was triggered by an interview with the Belarusian president on Al Arabiya English. During the conversation, Lukashenko criticized Israel's actions in the Palestinian enclave and stated that the Jewish state had lost its moral right to refer to the tragedy of the Holocaust.

The Belarusian leader also pointed to the scale of destruction and the number of civilian casualties in Gaza, emphasizing that these events negatively impact Israel's international image.

So far, official Minsk has not commented on the Israeli authorities' decision to summon the ambassador for a diplomatic protest.

The new diplomatic conflict indicates Israel's growing sensitivity to international criticism of its actions in the Gaza Strip. Any comparisons of the current conflict to the Holocaust are traditionally viewed by Tel Aviv as unacceptable, and the response to such statements is typically very harsh.