The Israeli heartland is extremely vulnerable if the Golan Heights were in the possession of a technologically sophisticated, hostile opponent. Abba Eban used to state in almost every speech that Israel must have “geographically defensible borders”. Israel’s leaders know this very well and will never voluntarily cede Golan. They also realize in this technologically sophisticated era defense is increasingly difficult regardless of borders.
As regards to Russia, the enormity of the disaster and consequences that Putin’s monumentally stupid invasion of Ukraine has left Russian leaders themselves bewildered and stressed. They are lashing out at Israel exercising their always present and sometimes latent age old Russian anti-Semitism to vent their rage.
RE: As regards to Russia, the enormity of the disaster and consequences that Putin’s monumentally stupid invasion of Ukraine has left Russian leaders themselves bewildered and stressed.
I think Putin is calculating. He wants Ukraine because of what he CAN CONTROL and he reckons a few tens of thousands deaths are worth the risk.
Ukraine ranks:
1st in Europe in proven recoverable reserves of uranium ores;
2nd place in Europe and 10th place in the world in terms of titanium ore reserves;
2nd place in the world in terms of explored reserves of manganese ores (2.3 billion tons, or 12% of the world’s reserves);
2nd largest iron ore reserves in the world (30 billion tons);
2nd place in Europe in terms of mercury ore reserves;
3rd place in Europe (13th place in the world) in shale gas reserves (22 trillion cubic meters)
4th in the world by the total value of natural resources;
7th place in the world in coal reserves (33.9 billion tons)
Ukraine is an important agricultural country:
1st in Europe in terms of arable land area;
3rd place in the world by the area of black soil (25% of world’s volume);
1st place in the world in exports of sunflower and sunflower oil;
2nd place in the world in barley production and 4th place in barley exports;
3rd largest producer and 4th largest exporter of corn in the world;
4th largest producer of potatoes in the world;
5th largest rye producer in the world;
5th place in the world in bee production (75,000 tons);
8th place in the world in wheat exports;
9th place in the world in the production of chicken eggs;
16th place in the world in cheese exports.
Ukraine can meet the food needs of 600 million people.
Ukraine is an important industrialized country:
1st in Europe in ammonia production;
Europe’s 2nd’s and the world’s 4th largest natural gas pipeline system;
3rd largest in Europe and 8th largest in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power plants;
3rd place in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of rail network length (21,700 km);
3rd place in the world (after the U.S. and France) in production of locators and locating equipment;
3rd largest iron exporter in the world
4th largest exporter of turbines for nuclear power plants in the world;
4th world’s largest manufacturer of rocket launchers;
4th place in the world in clay exports
4th place in the world in titanium exports
8th place in the world in exports of ores and concentrates;
9th place in the world in exports of defense industry products;
10th largest steel producer in the world (32.4 million tons).
THAT is what Putin wants — CONTROL of these resources.
[[Israel’s leaders know this very well and will never voluntarily cede Golan]]
I wonder though if they will if they are offered 7 years peace? In the end times, they inexplicably accept a “piece deal” with someone, a group, who promises to protect them. Unbelievably, israel accept (even knowing what the Bible says about the end times)
In the end times, God will miraculously protect them, though times will still be awful.