Ukraine threatens to prevent Israelis from entering its lands

Ukraine has threatened to prevent Israelis from entering its lands even those making pilgrimage to the city of Uman for Rosh Hashanah next month, news agencies reported yesterday.

This came in retaliation for Israel deporting Ukrainians who fled the war in their country.

Speaking on Friday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky urged that the “rights of Ukrainian citizens must be guaranteed,” highlighting that they had been badly treated or turned away, but he did mention Israel.

The next day, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said that Zelensky’s message was directed at Israel.

“The Ukrainian government will not tolerate the humiliation of its citizens upon entering Israel,” he said, warning that his country will suspend bilateral visa waiver deals with Israel.

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“This possibility is on our government’s table,” he added. “It is unthinkable that we would have to go out of our way to host tens of thousands of Israelis in Uman, with a high security risk and a huge logistical effort, while the Israeli government abuses our citizens who come to Israel within the framework of a treaty between the two countries.”

He continued: “If Israel wants its citizens to be able to come to Ukraine as tourists, including to Uman, I believe Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu should intervene personally to find a solution to the current matter.”

For his part, Israeli Interior and Health Minister Moshe Arbel rejected claims Ukrainians had been mistreated.

“Israel’s immigration policy welcomes tourists from many countries in the world, including from Ukraine,” he said in a statement.

He explained: “In instances where there is a suspicion they are using their tourist visa unlawfully to work or settle down, the Population, Immigration and Border Authority operates according to its legal authority.”

Ynet News reporteddata from the Ukrainian embassy stating that Israel deported 2,037 Ukrainian citizens in the first half of 2023, compared to 2,705 during 2022.

Uman, 200 kilometers south of the capital, Kyiv, typically attracts thousands of pilgrims for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

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