Ukraine envoy: Anyone seeking peace should condemn brutal murders in Beersheba

Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk calls stabbing that killed four a ‘despicable act of pure terrorism,’ extends condolences to bereaved families

Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk condemned Wednesday the previous day’s terrorist attack in Beersheba that killed four civilians, saying denunciation should come from anyone who seeks freedom and peace.

“The murder in Beersheba is a vicious and despicable act of pure terrorism,” Korniychuk wrote on Facebook. “I extend my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wish a full recovery to those who were injured.

“Any human being striving for freedom and peace in the world should condemn any brutal murder of innocent civilians,” he added.

Korniychuk has been critical of Israel for refusing to send military aid — including helmets and flak jackets — to Ukrainians fighting against the Russian invasion.

Jerusalem has sought to walk a tightrope to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, the latter of which controls the airspace over Syria and has given Israel a green-light to operate against Iranian proxies there.

As such, Israel has refused repeated Ukrainian requests for military aid of any kind.

The scene of a stabbing attack in Beersheba on March 22, 2022. (Courtesy: Magen David Adom)

It has, however, provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It has also established a field hospital in western Ukraine.

Israel has pointed to its neutral position as an asset that has enabled Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to assist as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow.

Last week the embassy went after Jerusalem over its somewhat stringent policy toward refugees fleeing the Russian invasion.

The treatment of Ukrainians who flee to Israeli soil “is not covering the main challenges for non-Jewish refugees from Ukraine,” the embassy said in a statement. “Russia is committing genocide of Ukrainians, killing thousands of civilians, while the Israeli government inspects each and every refugee from Ukraine with a fine-toothed comb.”

The government has come under heavy fire for its response to the influx of refugees — particularly those who are not eligible for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return due to Jewish ancestry — and its handling of the issue has been marred by unclear policies, backtracking and occasional infighting.

From the start of fighting when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 until this week, over 12,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Israel. Of those, some 8,000 are not eligible for immigration, while 4,000 do have the right to become citizens.

Current policy has set a cap, already reached, of 25,000 Ukrainians who are not eligible for citizenship (5,000 of whom arrived after the start of the war), in addition to any Ukrainians with close family ties in Israel, without a cap.