Diplomacy is not a screen for the aggressor: the Ukrainian ambassador left the ceremony at the Western Wall due to the presence of the Russian ambassador there.

“If a diplomatic event were held in Kyiv, we would have warned the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine that a representative of the Iranian embassy would also be participating, and would not have put him in such an awkward position,” said Kornichuk, “I should have been warned about this in advance.”

Expecting the Ukrainian ambassador to participate in a joint ceremony and photos next to a representative of the aggressor Russia means effectively demanding Ukraine’s consent to the “normalization” of the war and erasing the line between victim and aggressor.

What happened and why it was only talked about a week later

The incident occurred on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in Jerusalem, at the Western Wall. But its details became public only on Wednesday, December 24 — after publications in Israeli media, particularly in Ynet on December 24, 2025.

It was about a diplomatic event initiated by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar: a Hanukkah candle was to be lit at the Western Wall together with representatives of foreign missions.

What kind of ceremony it was and what prompted it

The ceremony was conceived as a gesture of memory and solidarity after the terrorist attack during the Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, which claimed the lives of 15 people.

Sa’ar initiated the lighting of the Hanukkah candle at the Western Wall together with the Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, inviting ambassadors from various countries to participate — to emphasize international support and respect for mourning.

Who came and who demonstratively did not

According to the data discussed around this event, ambassadors from all countries with representations in Israel were invited, but in fact, 28 representatives arrived:

• 17 ambassadors

• 11 deputy ambassadors or heads of diplomatic missions

A separate detail that looks like a political marker: almost all invited representatives of EU countries decided not to attend, and the only exception was the ambassador of the Czech Republic in Israel.

In a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, it was emphasized that there were “dozens of ambassadors” present, and among others, representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Chile, Ethiopia, Thailand, Ecuador, Panama, Nepal, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and others were listed.

Why the Ukrainian ambassador left — and why his reaction was justified

The Russian ambassador was also present. After this, Ukrainian Ambassador Yevgeny Kornichuk effectively interrupted his participation and left.

The essence of his position boils down to a simple diplomatic principle: in a situation of full-scale war, the presence of a representative of the aggressor state next to a representative of the victim country should not become “the usual background” — especially at a ceremony intended as an act of memory and human solidarity.

Why it is important to say this out loud.

1. This is not a “whim” or “emotion”, but a standard logic of diplomacy during wartime: a joint ceremony automatically creates a picture of “all together,” as if moral and political boundaries have been erased.

2. Normalization is also politics. If the Russian representative stands calmly in line with the Ukrainian at a public ceremony, it reads as an attempt to return to a regime of “normal relations,” even though the war has not gone anywhere.

3. The place enhances the meaning. At the Western Wall, any state picture is symbolic. Therefore, Kornichuk’s departure does not look like a scandal but a way not to participate in the symbolic “equalization” of sides.

In short: the Ukrainian ambassador did what a diplomat must do during wartime — drew a red line. Without shouting. Just by action.

Reaction of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the “other side” of the story

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, responding to questions, stated approximately the following: 28 heads of missions and ambassadors attended the ceremony; Israel thanks everyone who participated; the minister mentioned in his speech the presence of both the Ukrainian and Russian ambassadors; no protests were received and it was not noticed that anyone refused to participate or demonstratively left.

Meanwhile, Israeli journalists reported another detail: Russian Ambassador Viktorov, on his part, also expressed dissatisfaction that “the Ukrainian ambassador was invited at all” to the ceremony at the Western Wall.

This detail clearly shows why Kornichuk’s behavior does not seem “excessively harsh”: if the Russian side “is outraged” by the very fact of Ukraine’s presence, then the joint picture of “everyone together” becomes even more toxic — both for Ukraine and for the meaning of the event.

What this says about the diplomatic climate in Israel

The story highlights several things at once:

• Israel is trying to hold events “for everyone,” maintaining a diplomatic format even where it no longer works as it used to.

• The absence of most EU representatives looks like a separate signal: part of the diplomatic corps prefers distance to avoid participating in an ambiguous picture.

• Ukraine, on the contrary, shows: the boundaries of the acceptable are not blurred, even if the ceremony is intended as humanitarian and memorial.

And that is why Kornichuk’s action can be called correct: he did not destroy the mourning meaning but defended another meaning — moral clarity.

What next

After the publications on December 24, the issue became public: how can Israel conduct international ceremonies in wartime conditions when inviting “everyone at once” becomes a political statement in itself?

And the second question — already to the diplomatic corps: will countries continue to “pretend” that they can stand next to each other without consequences, or will each such ceremony turn into a test of principles?

An open ending is the most honest here: what is more important — protocol or the boundary that cannot be erased even for the sake of a beautiful group photo? NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency