Questions Remain for Kyiv, Jerusalem as Ukraine’s ‘Stolen Grain’ Vessel Leaves Israeli Waters

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one source in Jerusalem told Kyiv Post some officials were caught off guard by the intensity of Kyiv’s response. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Illustrative image of a cargo ship.(Image by Depositphotos) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Israeli grain importer Tzanifer has informed SGM, the supplier of a wheat cargo suspected of originating from Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, that it would reject the Russian vessel aiming to unload the cargo at the Haifa port. “The Russian supplier of the wheat cargo will have to find another destination to unload it,” the company said. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The decision follows public backlash over the earlier unloading of cargo from a similar vessel, Abinsk, as well as a series of increasingly public exchanges between Ukrainian and Israeli officials – including on X (formerly Twitter) – that brought tensions into the open. Reports that the Panormitis was approaching the port of Haifa triggered a swift response from Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha addressed the issue publicly, while President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of potential sanctions against individuals and entities involved in exporting grain from occupied territories. The EU has also signaled it is considering similar measures. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismissed the criticism as “ Twitter diplomacy ,” arguing that Ukraine had not submitted a formal request to seize the vessel or detain the cargo. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office formally filed a complaint several days after the public outcry began. The dispute – at one point threatening to escalate into a broader diplomatic crisis, with Kyiv summoning Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky – appears to have influenced Tzanifer’s decision. Other Topics of Interest Epicentr Agro Launches Sugar Beet Production, Debuts in Western Ukraine Epicentr Agro, the agricultural arm of Ukraine’s leading home improvement chain Epicentr K, has introduced sugar beets to its crop rotation for the first time. According to Israeli media reports, the company opted to cancel the unloading altogether rather than postpone it, amid uncertainty over when Israeli government ministries – led by the foreign ministry – would issue formal guidance. Tzanifer acknowledged that such a decision could expose it to legal claims from suppliers, adding that an official government position would carry significant weight in any potential proceedings. At the same time, Israel’s tax authority cannot act until a vessel docks and submits official cargo documentation. In practice, this requires importers to initiate unloading before authorities can intervene. In this case, however, Tzanifer chose not to proceed, halting the process before it formally began due to the diplomatic fallout and Ukraine’s allegations that the cargo was stolen. Sybiha welcomed the development, saying it demonstrated the effectiveness of Ukraine’s legal and diplomatic efforts. The Israeli foreign ministry claimed the Ukrainian request for legal assistance “contained significant factual gaps and did not include any supporting evidence.” “The Israel Police reached out to the Ukrainian Prosecution with a request to provide additional information and supporting evidence, as required by Israeli law,” its update says, adding that the ship was supposed to enter the port next week as opposed to the previous reports that it had already entered Haifa. Sources familiar with the matter in Jerusalem told Kyiv Post that the episode has had a noticeable impact within Israeli policy circles. Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, one source said some officials were caught off guard by the intensity of Kyiv’s response, particularly given what they described as the absence of a formal diplomatic request prior to the public campaign. Privately, some Israeli officials also view the episode through a broader geopolitical lens. One senior figure described the pressure campaign as partly aligned with what they called an “EU hit job” against Israel, amid strained relations between Jerusalem and Brussels – timed, in their view, with the approval of a €90 billion ($105 billion) support package for Ukraine. At the same time, questions remain about the earlier Abinsk case, in which a similar shipment was allowed to be unloaded despite Ukraine reportedly submitting documentation and later requesting that Israeli authorities detain the cargo. The Abinsk vessel left the Haifa port, and the cargo was not detained. Another line of criticism expressed more broadly at the moment pertains to Kyiv’s alleged “selective justice.” An investigation by Haaretz suggests that shipments of grain suspected to originate from occupied Ukrainian territories have reached multiple destinations over the past several years. Israeli ports are not unique in this regard, with countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria also cited as recipients. Reporting by Türkiye Today further claims that “the illegal grain trade – temporarily halted when Syria’s new government took power in late 2024 – has resumed at volumes mirroring those seen under Bashar al-Assad.” In light of this, some Israeli commentators argue that Jerusalem is being singled out for political reasons, particularly at a time when Ukraine has been expanding ties with Gulf states – including Qatar, a country often viewed as politically at odds with Israel. Following Tzanifer’s decision, Sybiha wrote: “This is a clear signal to all vessels, captains, operators, insurers, and governments – do not buy stolen Ukrainian grain. Do not become part of this crime.” He added that Ukraine would continue tracking such shipments and push for expanded international sanctions against what he described as Russia’s “shadow grain fleet.” The Panormitis case has exposed deeper underlying tensions in Ukraine-Israel relations. In Ukraine, there is a growing perception that Israel has not provided sufficient support in its war against Russia. This applies to some military aid requests issued by Kyiv and, on occasion, by Washington DC, over the years. Israeli officials, in turn, point to their country’s contributions – including Patriot systems, early warning technologies, and humanitarian aid – while also highlighting areas of friction. One recurring grievance in Jerusalem concerns Ukraine’s voting record at the United Nations. In 2023, Ambassador Brodsky said that Kyiv supports anti-Israel resolutions “in 90% of cases,” calling the situation “abnormal,” particularly given Ukraine’s frequent requests for Israeli assistance. Israeli officials were especially critical of Ukraine’s support for resolutions in November 2022 calling for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and for an international conference on Israeli-Palestinian peace to be held in Moscow. Israel’s own voting record on Ukraine has also been mixed. While it has generally supported resolutions in Kyiv’s favor, in 2025 it voted against a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an “advanced, comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine,” and abstained on another resolution put forward by the EU. Despite these tensions, sources in both Kyiv and Jerusalem told Kyiv Post that both sides remain open to continued cooperation – particularly in areas such as drone technology, where Ukraine’s battlefield experience could be of value to Israel in its ongoing confrontation with the Hezbollah group. Lesia Dubenko is a Ukrainian political scientist and analyst. A graduate of Lund University (MSc in European Affairs), she covers issues relating to international affairs, migration, and disinformation.