Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk will appeal to Israel's High Court of Justice over the cap the government has placed on a number of non-Jewish refugees from war-stricken Ukraine it is willing to admit, Channel 12 News reported Saturday.
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Earlier in the week, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked announced a measure limiting the number of non-Jewish refugees allowed to enter Israel to 5,000.
"The new Interior Ministry policy violates agreements between Ukraine and Israel regarding visa exemption for Ukrainian citizens," Korniychuk wrote in a statement quoted in the report.
"As all diplomatic options appear exhausted, the Embassy has no choice but to submit a petition to the High Court against the Israeli government's new policy, in order to protect the rights of Ukrainian refugees," the statement further read.
"Tonight, I filed a petition against Ayelet Shaked's decision to prevent the entry of Ukrainian refugees as well as a request for a writ against the validity of such a decision.
"We found that this was not only a violation of an international agreement but also that Ayelet Shaked was not authorized to make such a decision. This should have come from the government, or at least be taken after consultation with the Knesset's interior committee," the statement concluded.
On Saturday night, hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv to protest the government's policies on the Ukraine crisis, especially with respect to taking in refugees. A similar protest took place outside Ayelet Shaked's home in Tel Aviv, where dozens rallied against her policy. The protesters held up posters reading "a Jew does not turn away a refugee."
Taking to social media, Shaked wrote, "The war in Ukraine is hard and painful. Every heartbreaking sight evokes associations on a personal and familial level. Every person whose heart is in the right place feels empathy with those whose lives and routines have been upended by the hostilities.
"Europe mobilized for the people of Ukraine and many countries have opened their gates. It is important to understand that every Ukrainian who wants to come to Israel is not currently in Ukraine but in one of the European countries to which they fled. Ukraine has tens of millions of residents and the task of aiding the masses is scattered among the various countries and we are not absent in this effort," she wrote on Facebook.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett she noted, "has taken on the complicated task of mediator and it is too early to say how that will unfold." She added that Israel has already taken in over 25,000 refugees, and "contrary to the criticism the majority have been allowed to stay until the war is over. Nevertheless, it is clear to any sensible person that the small Jewish nation-state cannot take the place of European countries, including Ukraine neighbors, which have opened their borders wide."
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On Friday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz commented on the defense establishment's part with regards to Israel's efforts Ukraine and its people.
"The operational assumption is that we are facing a significant national challenge, alongside the security challenges we face," he said. "The defense establishment and the IDF will provide any operational assistance required and offer any solution at our disposal until the situation stabilizes."
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
