Ukrainian ambassador slams Israeli leadership over deportation of Ukrainian refugees

Kyiv's ban on the Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman in Septermber may become a response to the deportation of Ukrainian war refugees from Israel

Sergiy Berezhnyi

publicist

August 31 2023, 11:54

Yevhen Korniychuk (Photo - Embassy of Ukraine in Israel0

Tensions are rising between Ukraine and Israel over the treatment of citizens, as Kyiv considers barring an annual Hasidic Jewish pilgrimage in response to the deportation of Ukrainian refugees from the Middle Eastern country, Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk told LIGA.net.

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Korniychuk believes that the situation, when approximately 10% of refugees from Ukraine are not allowed to enter Israel and are deported, arose because of the position of the far-right and orthodox parties, which lead the Ministry of the Interior of Israel and have an unfriendly attitude towards migrants in principle.

Korniychuk calls the situation "difficult" and notes that during his tenure as ambassador (2.5 years), "it has reached the greatest regression."

"There was no [precedent] of our leaders not communicating for eight months," he emphasized.

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At the same time, Israel's ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, considers the majority of decisions regarding the deportation of Ukrainians arriving at Ben Gurion Airport to be legitimate, and urges Kyiv not to exaggerate the scale of the problem.

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On August 20, the Ukrainian embassy in Israel issued an ultimatum : either the deportations stop, or Ukraine can prevent the Hasidim from entering Uman and suspend the visa waiver for Israeli citizens. Korniychuk emphasized a possible suspension, not cancellation of visa-free travel is being considered. This decision should be made by the top leadership of the country.

About 10% of Ukrainians are deported at Israeli airports. They are forced to go through humiliating procedures, Ambassador Yevgen Korniychuk told LIGA.net and named the arguments in favor of suspending visa-free travel with Israel.

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According to Kyiv Post's source in the National Security and Defense Council, Ukraine also allegedly wants to exclude Israel from the Ramstein format. LIGA.net’s source in the leadership of the Ministry of Defense is not aware of this information.