Avigdor Liberman
Avigdor LibermanYonatan Sindel/Flash90

Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) on Monday praised the work of Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis in Ukraine, in light of the Russian invasion and its harm to civilians.

"This war will have economic effects on the entire world," Liberman said. "I am hearing calls to reduce the excise tax. Slowly, slowly. We need to wait for the situation to settle down. Reducing the excise tax now is like plastering in the middle of an earthquake."

Regarding the situation of Ukraine's communities, Liberman said, "Chabad rabbis are doing amazing work there. They're truly G-d's army."

When asked about the suggestion that Israel broker negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Liberman said, "If we are requested to bring peace and start a diplomatic-political process - we will do that. So long as we are not asked - we will not push ourselves in."

On Friday, Rabbi Moshe Asman, Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to Anatevka, Ukraine, said his community was preparing to absorb thousands of Jews.

"The situation at the moment is that there are masses of Jews without a place to live and without sufficient means of heating," Rabbi Asman said then. "So far we have distributed thousands of meals to Jews who fled their homes and came here."