<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was considering military aid to Ukraine and was willing to serve as a mediator, following US calls for more active involvement.</p>.<p>Netanyahu made no firm commitments to Ukraine and Israel has preserved a relationship with Russia, which controls the skies in neighbouring Syria and has turned a blind eye to Israeli strikes on targets of arch-nemesis Iran.</p>.<p>Netanyahu was asked in an interview with <em>CNN </em>if Israel could provide assistance to Ukraine such as Iron Dome, the US-backed technology that defends Israel from air attacks.</p>.<p>"Well, I'm certainly looking into it," Netanyahu said.</p>.<p>He confirmed that the United States has shifted a little-known stockpile of artillery it stations in Israel to Ukraine and he cast the Jewish state's own operations against Iran as part of a similar effort.</p>.<p>"The US just took a huge chunk of Israel's munitions and passed it on to Ukraine. Israel also, frankly, acts in ways that I will not itemize here against Iran's weapons productions which are used against Ukraine," he said.</p>.<p>Ukrainian and Western officials say Iran has sold low-cost drones to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, although Tehran denies that.</p>.<p>Netanyahu said he was asked to mediate in an unofficial role after Russia invaded Ukraine in February but did not pursue it as he was then in opposition.</p>.<p>He said he was willing to mediate if asked by the parties and the United States.</p>.<p>"I've been around long enough to know that there has to be a right time and the right circumstances. If they arise, I'll certainly consider it," he said.</p>.<p>The remarks come after a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who called for calm following a flare-up of violence between Israel and the Palestinians and also nudged Israel to boost support for Ukraine.</p>.<p>Using language familiar to Israelis, Blinken said Ukraine needs assistance "as it bravely defends its people and its very right to exist."</p>.<p>Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Blinken that he would travel to Ukraine to reopen his country's embassy, the first such trip since the war.</p>.<p>Netanyahu's predecessor Naftali Bennett paid a surprise visit to Moscow in March to mediate with Putin.</p>.<p>Bennett passed along Putin's messages to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but did not succeed in arranging direct negotiations.</p>
<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was considering military aid to Ukraine and was willing to serve as a mediator, following US calls for more active involvement.</p>.<p>Netanyahu made no firm commitments to Ukraine and Israel has preserved a relationship with Russia, which controls the skies in neighbouring Syria and has turned a blind eye to Israeli strikes on targets of arch-nemesis Iran.</p>.<p>Netanyahu was asked in an interview with <em>CNN </em>if Israel could provide assistance to Ukraine such as Iron Dome, the US-backed technology that defends Israel from air attacks.</p>.<p>"Well, I'm certainly looking into it," Netanyahu said.</p>.<p>He confirmed that the United States has shifted a little-known stockpile of artillery it stations in Israel to Ukraine and he cast the Jewish state's own operations against Iran as part of a similar effort.</p>.<p>"The US just took a huge chunk of Israel's munitions and passed it on to Ukraine. Israel also, frankly, acts in ways that I will not itemize here against Iran's weapons productions which are used against Ukraine," he said.</p>.<p>Ukrainian and Western officials say Iran has sold low-cost drones to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, although Tehran denies that.</p>.<p>Netanyahu said he was asked to mediate in an unofficial role after Russia invaded Ukraine in February but did not pursue it as he was then in opposition.</p>.<p>He said he was willing to mediate if asked by the parties and the United States.</p>.<p>"I've been around long enough to know that there has to be a right time and the right circumstances. If they arise, I'll certainly consider it," he said.</p>.<p>The remarks come after a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who called for calm following a flare-up of violence between Israel and the Palestinians and also nudged Israel to boost support for Ukraine.</p>.<p>Using language familiar to Israelis, Blinken said Ukraine needs assistance "as it bravely defends its people and its very right to exist."</p>.<p>Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Blinken that he would travel to Ukraine to reopen his country's embassy, the first such trip since the war.</p>.<p>Netanyahu's predecessor Naftali Bennett paid a surprise visit to Moscow in March to mediate with Putin.</p>.<p>Bennett passed along Putin's messages to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but did not succeed in arranging direct negotiations.</p>