JERUSALEM (Reuters). The Israeli Prime Minister Naftali B Bennett stated on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had apologised for comments made by his foreign minister claiming Adolf Hitler’s Jewish roots.

Bennett was also informed by Putin that Russia will allow civilian access to Azovstal’s steel works at the port of Mariupol, Ukraine via a humanitarian corridor run by United Nations/Red Cross.

Bennett’s office stated that Israel’s Prime Minister had asked for civilian access to the steelworks after an earlier meeting with Volodymyr Zilenskiy.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was criticized by Israel this week for suggesting that Adolf Hitler has Jewish roots. He described the comments as an “unforgivable”, falsehood which degrades the horrors of Nazi Holocaust.

Lavrov said the following Sunday, when Russia was asked why it “denazify Ukraine”, even though Zelenskiy was Jewish.

“When they ask us what kind of nazification we have if Jews are involved, I think Hitler was also Jewish, so that it doesn’t mean anything,” Lavrov stated to Italy’s Rete 4 channel. He spoke through an Italian interpreter.

Bennett stated that he accepted Putin’s apology after speaking with him. He thanked Putin for clarifying his respect for Jews and the Holocaust memory.

Israel, in its efforts to preserve ties with Moscow and Kyiv has served as an intermediary. But, an Israeli official claimed Bennett had stopped those efforts late March because of a string of Arab street attacks.

According to the latest calls between Zelenskiy and Putin, Israel could be returning to mediation.