Israeli Grain Importer Refuses Shipment of Ukrainian Grain Stolen by Russia

Company Tzentzipher Declines to Unload Grain Cargo

According to ХВИЛЯ: An Israeli grain importer, Tzentzipher, has refused to unload grain at the Port of Haifa that was taken by Russian forces from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. The decision was driven by the company's fear of falling under European sanctions. This move came after a diplomatic dispute between Kyiv and Tel Aviv, triggered by the vessel PANORMITIS and a previous incident involving the ship ABINSK.

Tzentzipher is one of Israel's largest grain importers. The PANORMITIS (IMO 9445021) arrived at the Port of Haifa on April 26 with a cargo of grain, part of which was sourced from occupied areas. The grain on board was loaded after a ship-to-ship transfer in the Black Sea and delivered to Israel by the Russian company Petrochleb-Kuban.

Diplomatic Fallout and Ship Seizure

On April 29, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine initiated the seizure of the PANORMITIS and its cargo. Ukraine's Prosecutor General, Ruslan Kravchenko, stated that Kyiv requested Israel to impound the vessel, conduct a search, confiscate documents, collect grain samples, and interrogate the crew. In response, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky and handed him a protest note.

The ship ABINSK had previously docked at the Port of Haifa and was unloaded between April 12 and 14. On April 20, Israeli authorities provided an official response, refusing to take any action regarding that vessel. According to data, over 1.7 million tons of agricultural products have been illegally exported by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, valued at more than 20 billion hryvnias.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that 'purchasing stolen goods in all normal countries is an act that carries legal responsibility. This applies, in particular, to grain stolen by Russia.'

He also emphasized that 'the Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which ships and what cargo enter the country's ports.' The vessels ABINSK and PANORMITIS belong to Russia's shadow fleet, raising further questions about the legality of their shipments.

Tzentzipher's refusal to unload the grain underscores the difficult position faced by countries trying to avoid entanglement in conflicts related to the war in Ukraine. Diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Israel could have serious consequences for future economic relations and agricultural imports. Given the international context, this situation casts doubt on the legitimacy of grain supplies from occupied territories and may influence how other nations handle similar cargoes.

The ongoing diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Israel highlight the complex situation surrounding the issue of Russian vessels carrying Ukrainian grain. As Ukraine continues to assert its rights over stolen agricultural products, the international community watches closely to see how Israel will navigate these challenges and its implications for future imports.