A large number of Ukrainian researchers, artists, writers, and activists have signed a statement expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have resisted over 75 years of Israeli military occupation, ethnic cleansing policies, land confiscation, and apartheid. They criticized their government’s stance on the Palestinian issue. Ukrainian Researchers Artists Writers
The statement, which Al Jazeera Net obtained a copy of, condemns attacks on civilians from various parties and asserts that “condemnation is not a justification for the continuation of the collective punishment policies carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people, associating all residents of Gaza with Hamas, and the indiscriminate use of the term ‘terrorism’ to label the entire Palestinian resistance.” The statement also clarifies that condemnation is not a justification for the continuation of the Israeli occupation.
The statement highlights the broader historical context of the Israeli war on Gaza, recalling the Palestinian Nakba in 1948, which witnessed the slaughter and destruction of entire Palestinian villages. It reminds that “since its establishment, the State of Israel has never ceased its colonial expansion.”
The statement, signed by nearly 400 Ukrainian intellectuals, academics, writers, and artists, is notable given the biased perspective of most Ukrainian media outlets in favor of Israel. The media dedicated significant coverage to the war, at times comparable to their interest in the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine, as observed by a previous report from Al Jazeera Net in Kyiv.
The signatories believe their solidarity with Palestinian rights stems from their experience in Ukraine and their “deep understanding of the devastating effects caused by the policies of occupation, bombing of civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian blockade.” They draw parallels to parts of Ukraine that have been under Russian occupation since 2014 and note the failure of international efforts to stop Russian aggression at the time, overlooking the imperialistic and colonial nature of Russian armed violence towards Ukraine.
The statement explains that the scenes of Israeli forces targeting and bombing civilian infrastructure in Gaza, the humanitarian blockade, and the occupation of Palestinian territories resonate painfully with them as Ukrainian citizens. It calls on Ukrainians worldwide and all global citizens to raise their voices in support of the Palestinian people and condemn the ongoing Israeli policies of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians.
The statement rejects the official Ukrainian position on the unjust war on Gaza, and the signatories refuse the Ukrainian government’s expressions of unconditional support for Israeli military actions. They consider the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s calls to avoid civilian casualties as too late and insufficient. They see this stance as a departure from Ukraine’s decades-long record of supporting Palestinian rights and condemning Israeli occupation and policies, as evidenced by the voting record at the United Nations.
Initially, the Ukrainian presidency quickly and strongly sided with the occupation at the start of the war, but the Foreign Ministry later adjusted its stance, mentioning the importance of the two-state solution to resolve the issue. Ukrainian Researchers Artists Writers
