The Vice Speaker Olena Kondratiuk: We call on the Knesset of Israel to join efforts with the parliaments of the world for the return of Ukrainian children abducted by russia
02 May 2023, 12:01
During her working visit to Israel, the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk met with the Vice Speaker of the Knesset of the State of Israel Yifat Shasha-Biton.
She is the only woman in the leadership of the Israeli Parliament — Doctor of Education, mother of three children, and holds the rank of army sergeant.
The main topic of the meeting was the abduction of Ukrainian children by russia.. Olena Kondratiuk informed the Vice Speaker of the Knesset that according to official data alone, 19,393 children have been illegally deported from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by russia. Only 364 children have been returned home.
"This is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and genocide, which was officially recognised by a special PACE resolution," said the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
She added that the abduction of Ukrainian children by russia is accompanied by particularly cynical and cruel treatment and psychological violence. In particular, they are forced to renounce their Ukrainian identity in so-called re-education camps. Ukrainian children are also separated from their relatives, parents and guardians and forcibly adopted into russian families.
"Israel, like no one else, knows the painful and terrible price of genocide and crimes against children on the basis of nationality. That is why I called on Yifat Shasha-Biton and the Knesset of Israel to intensify their efforts and join forces with other parliaments of the world and the international community to condemn the crimes of the russian federation against Ukrainian children and to ensure their speedy liberation and return home," Olena Kondratiuk described the details of the meeting.
The parties also discussed opportunities for recreation, rehabilitation and psychological rehabilitation of Ukrainian children in Israel who suffered from the russian invasion.
