"With Washington's stance on Ukraine shifting, debates in Kyiv over Gaza continue to gain momentum. Kyiv, Ukraine At the start of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced support for Israel, while First Lady Olena Zelenska said Ukrainians understand and share the pain of the Israeli people. Billboards across Kyiv lit up the capital with Israeli flags."
"Hashem, a Gaza-born medical professional who obtained Ukrainian citizenship after nearly a decade living in the country, said the contrast in how Palestinians and Ukrainians are treated internationally has long been apparent. Travelling as a Ukrainian opens doors; travelling as a Palestinian closes them, he said, describing the stark difference in freedom of movement, visa access and public sympathy attached to each of his identities. This is not a competition of suffering, but a question of principle."
Debates in Kyiv over Gaza increased as Washington's stance on Ukraine shifted. At the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, Ukrainian leaders publicly supported Israel and Kyiv displayed Israeli flags. Many people holding both Palestinian and Ukrainian identities found early reactions difficult to watch. A Gaza-born Ukrainian citizen highlighted stark international differences in treatment, noting that traveling as a Ukrainian opens doors while traveling as a Palestinian closes them, and that freedom of movement, visa access and public sympathy differ by passport. As Israel's bombardment escalated into genocide, some Ukrainians reconsidered their views and signed letters expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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