Ukraine against Israel: “A slap in the face, we won’t get over it”

A senior Ukrainian diplomatic source warns of an acute crisis in relations with Israel, this against the background of the arrival of the ship Panormitis in the port of Haifa. The ship, which is allegedly carrying stolen wheat from the occupied Ukrainian territories, arrived at the port yesterday (Sunday) and is anchored outside it in preparation for unloading the cargo.

According to the Ukrainian claims, this is the second time in two weeks that a Russian ship loaded with stolen grain has arrived in Israel. “If this ship and its cargo are not rejected, we reserve the right to use a full range of international diplomatic and legal responses,” the diplomatic source said.

The “Haaretz” investigation revealed that at least four such Russian ships arrived in Israel since the beginning of the year and unloaded grain originating from the territories that Russia occupied in Ukraine. The source stated that Israel was texting and ignored the demands presented to it in the past regarding the previous ship that unloaded a similar cargo.

In Ukraine, they make it clear that they will not move to the agenda for additional unloading. “We are following this new ship and we will not let it pass,” the source said. “If she anchors and unmoors more, it will have consequences, especially on our bilateral relations.”

The source said that “it feels like a slap in the face”, especially in light of steps taken by Kyiv in favor of Israel, such as defining the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization and criminalizing anti-Semitism. “It is not in Israel’s honor to make a profit from stolen goods,” the source concluded.