Ukraine threatens to close border to Uman pilgrims as retaliation for deportations
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Ukraine could close the border to Jewish pilgrims on the way to Uman for Rosh Hashana to retaliate for Israel deporting Ukrainian tourists, the country’s ambassador to Israel tells The Times of Israel.
Speaking by phone from Kyiv, where he is meeting Ukrainian officials to prepare for the annual pilgrimage, Yevhen Korniychuk says that Israel is deporting around 10% of Ukrainian tourists who visit the country.
“We have let our feelings on this be known,” he says.
Korniychuk has in the past raised the possibility of pilgrims being turned away at the border because of security concerns. Korniychuk says that if the pilgrimage does go ahead, he hopes Israeli police officers will be present, as they are in most years.
