The hypocrisy of diplomacy. Ukraine welcomes and fraternizes with Netanyahu’s ambassador

On July 22, the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar arrived in Ukraine for an official visit—the first such visit since February 2023.Despite statements about “humanitarian aid,” the very fact of receiving a representative of a state accused by the International Criminal Court of war crimes is unacceptable.

Social Movement condemns the Ukrainian authorities’ decision to host an official from a government accused of crimes against civilians. This contradicts the principles of international law and the moral consistency that Ukraine declares in its fight against aggression

Among the crimes imputed to Israel by the ICC:

▪️ Starvation of civilian population as a method of war;

▪️ intentional killings;

▪️ attacks on civilians;

▪️ persecution and other inhumane acts, like crimes against humanity.

The Ukrainian authorities have shown a lack of both conscience and resolve to refuse a visit from a representative of a criminal regime. Geopolitical games seem more important to officials than the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza or the humanitarian crisis.

Such hypocrisy harms Ukraine. More and more allies are asking: how can they support a state that itself fraternises with a country committing crimes akin to those of Russia?

Moreover, Israel itself occasionally takes an overtly pro-Russian stance on the international stage. The most striking example is Israel’s vote against adopting a resolution at the UN on February 24, 2025, for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Ukrainian diplomacy has demonstrated glaring incompetence. Such decisions undermine international support for our country, especially from the Global South. We oppose double standards: all officials who have committed war crimes must be held accountable.

We express solidarity with the Palestinian people, who suffer daily from blockades, bombings, and hunger caused by the criminal government of Netanyahu.