“There is no family like this in Russia…”: the Russian Embassy in Israel and Russian media proudly tell the world about Israeli citizens “with St. George ribbons and flags of the Red Army, Russia and Israel” at the “largest patriotic event in the Middle East”

Israel is a democratic state, the rules for conducting mass events are regulated by law. Everyone has the right to hold a mass event, provided it is approved by the relevant authorities.

For Israelis who value their democratic foundation and history of survival, holding such “victory-celebrating” events becomes a particularly difficult moral challenge. How can Israel look the citizens of other democratic countries in the eye, where support for such symbols and justifying aggression are firmly condemned?

When Israel, as a democratic state, conducts actions supported by symbols associated with war and violence, it creates bewilderment and disappointment among countries that consider such actions violations of moral norms and principles of freedom. Israel risks being seen as a country that ignores its own values for political or external economic interests, which in turn undermines its credibility on the international stage.

“There is no family in Russia…” – “From the heroes of old times” by Rafael Khazak to the lyrics of Evgeny Agranovich is featured in a video from the Russian Embassy in Israel on May 2, 2025, about “The largest motor rally in the region in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory.”

The participants of the rally were greeted by the diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Israel:

“On May 2, diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Israel welcomed participants of the tenth anniversary motor rally, which this year is dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory… Following established tradition, the vehicles of this largest patriotic event in the Middle East travel from north to south – across the entire country. Along the way, activists carry photos of their heroic ancestors and a copy of the Victory Banner, and make stops to hold ceremonial rallies.”

Notably, the “Russian diplomats” welcoming participants of the motor rally in Israel represent a country that signed a alliance with Iran, a state that threatens to destroy Israel. This raises moral outrage, as Russia actively supports the forces that threaten Israel’s security, including terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. The diplomats’ presence at such events becomes not just a political endorsement but a moral support for aggressors. Russia, not only supplying weapons to these groups but also condemning Israel’s actions at international forums, effectively strengthens the position of those trying to destroy the Jewish state.

As usual, it wasn’t without a cardboard tank (the model is not specified). Among the attributes of the motor rally are also flags of the Russian Federation, Israel, large red stars, stickers with “Georgian ribbons,” red flags with the hammer and sickle, “Thank you for the Victory,” and other paraphernalia….

“Some participants are dressed in the uniform of Red Army soldiers, which adds special symbolism to the event,” notes another Russian media outlet.

When the motor rally includes red flags with the hammer and sickle and uniforms of Soviet soldiers, it evokes a deep moral outrage among Israelis. These symbols are associated not only with victory over Germany and its allies in World War II but also with how the USSR supported Arab countries that tried to destroy Israel. The Soviet Union supplied weapons, trained Arab armies, and sent military advisors during many wars between Israel and Arab states, including the Six-Day War in 1967, the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and many smaller conflicts. This left an indelible mark in the memory of Israelis, who remember who helped their enemies. The use of these symbols today, in the context of Russia, is seen as disrespect for the memory of those who fought for Israel’s existence and as an attempt to justify the actions of those who have always sought to “throw” Israel into the sea.

The main state propaganda news agency of Russia, formerly a Soviet state agency – TASS:

“In Israel, the largest (one might think there are other ‘in the region’ – editor, is it not that there will also be one in Bethlehem) motor rally in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory is taking place”

Of course, it wasn’t without the Russian embassy: “The participants of the rally were also greeted by the diplomats of the Russian Embassy.”

“Around a hundred people on dozens of motorcycles decorated with Georgian ribbons and cars with flags of the Red Army, Russia, and Israel are participating in the motor rally dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory from north to south of the Jewish state, reports TASS correspondent.”

“This is already the tenth motor rally, which is a jubilee for us, coinciding this year with the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory of the Soviet Union over the Nazi-fascist invaders. Our main goal is to honor the memory of the victors, our grandparents, and, if possible, to tell our children and grandchildren about the great feat that ordinary Soviet boys and girls made 80 years ago, who did not fear parting with their lives to free our homeland from those who came to enslave it,” said V. Ts., the initiator of the idea for the motor rally in Shfa’im (one of the stops in central Israel).”

“The first such motor rally from north to south of Israel in honor of Victory Day took place in 2016. At that time, 10 people participated on motorcycles with flags and Victory symbols. Each year, the number of motorcyclists increased, and the first participants on cars appeared. Now it is the largest motor rally in the Middle East both in terms of the number of participants and the length of the route, which exceeds 500 km.”

“I think the number of people this year is more than last year, because we constantly increase the number of participants,” Ts. noted. According to him, the motor rally in Israel “takes place traditionally on the last weekend before May 9, before Victory Day.”

“On May 9, our main meeting will take place at the ‘Wings’ monument in Netanya, a monument to the victors, and in cities [of Israel], parades are held, on May 9 everyone will participate in the parade in their city, or we will meet in Netanya at the central event on Victory Day,” he added.

When events take place with the use of both Russian flags, red flags, Georgian ribbons, and Red Army soldier uniforms, this evokes associations not only with victory over fascism in World War II but also with how these symbols became part of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Under these flags and symbols, civilians are being killed and cities are being destroyed, as in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, and other places. Russian troops, using these same flags, shell civilian infrastructure, destroy homes, schools, hospitals, and kill thousands of innocent people.

Such events with Soviet paraphernalia, in the context of current events in Ukraine, become morally unacceptable. They turn the symbols of Victory, which once represented the fight against Nazism, into tools of justifying mass murders and brutality carried out under those same flags. This distorts history and makes Soviet symbolism part of modern military aggression, in which tens of thousands of innocent people suffer.

NAnews believes that the use of such symbols for political purposes is disrespect for the memory of the victims of war and an attempt to rewrite history without taking into account the grave consequences of modern war crimes. We call for respect for historical truth and the inviolability of the memory of those who truly fought for peace and freedom, not for aggression and destruction.