Names marked with an asterisk* have been modified to guard identities.
When Russia launched a full-scale conflict on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Amer Aroggi, a 30-year-old journalist primarily based within the Gaza Strip, felt compelled to report on the European battle.
Having lived by way of the Israeli occupation, he felt he may relate to the plight of the Ukrainians.
The transfer was seamless, particularly as a result of his older brother had lived in Ukraine for a few years. Aroggi rapidly secured a brand new position for himself as a correspondent for a outstanding information channel.
Lower than two years later, conflict broke out once more in his homeland with the newest escalation of the Israel-Palestine battle.
To some observers, there have been parallels between Russia and Israel and Ukraine and the Palestinians.
However in a swift and unequivocal response to the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy threw his help behind Israel, like a lot of the Ukrainian inhabitants, and virtually all Western leaders.
“I saw a double standard. … The world helped the Ukrainians, and no one helped us. No one even helped me evacuate my mother and sister out of Gaza,” Aroggi advised Al Jazeera.
Ukrainians had been the “victims of massive propaganda” in the course of the first phases of the conflict, which is why they typically supported Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, in keeping with Aroggi.
He mentioned he wish to go away however is unable to as a result of he has a Palestinian passport.
He spends his days glued to the TV, fearing for his household in Gaza.
“My mother asks me, ‘Are you OK? Is there a Russian bombing?’ I say to her, ‘Are you OK? Is there an Israeli bombing?’”
The most recent escalation of the Israel-Palestine battle started on October 7 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,139 folks and triggering a violent response.
At this level within the conflict, no less than 24,762 Palestinians had been reported killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. Whereas Israel has mentioned it goals to wipe out Hamas, which governs the besieged enclave, the toll on civilians and its conduct have been closely criticised.
Ukrainian first girl Olena Zelenska mentioned on October 7 that Ukrainians perceive and “share the pain” of the Israeli folks as billboards throughout Kyiv lit up the capital with Israeli flags.
Hashem*, a medical skilled from Gaza who relocated to Ukraine 9 years in the past, remained resolute in his allegiance to his adopted house when Russia invaded Ukraine.
But the Ukrainian response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza left him grappling with conflicting feelings within the preliminary months of the conflict, notably since “Ukraine suffers from occupation like Palestine”, he mentioned.
The prevailing narrative within the nationwide media favours Israel and influences public sentiment, he mentioned.
Hashem additionally suffered personally. He mentioned he obtained threats and discriminatory messages filled with hate from people who discovered he was from Gaza however residing in Ukraine. Even so, he plans to remain in Ukraine.
A shift in opinion?
Now greater than three months into the Center East conflict, Hashem and Aroggi mentioned they’ve witnessed some adjustments in public opinion.
The fixed stream of photos of dying and destruction in Gaza has had an affect, main some Ukrainians to begin overtly criticising their authorities’s place.
In November, greater than 300 Ukrainian students, activists and artists expressed their solidarity with Palestinians in an open letter.
The letter emphasised the suitable of Palestinians to self-determination and resistance towards Israel’s occupation, drawing parallels to Ukrainians resisting the Russian invasion.
Hashem mentioned some Ukrainians got here to view the “Israeli narrative” as each “false and unfair” and he “began to feel moral support” for himself and the Palestinian folks.
Mounting stress from pro-Palestinian segments of society ultimately pressured a gradual shift within the Ukrainian authorities’s place, he believes.
He pointed to Ukraine’s backing of a UN decision on November 12, urging the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ) to supply an opinion on the authorized penalties of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Nonetheless, Ukraine selected to abstain from voting on a current decision advocating for a humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza.
Yuliia Kishchuk, a researcher who signed the open letter, advised Al Jazeera that Israel enjoys important help from Ukrainian political liberals who view Israel as a democratic and progressive nation.
“Israel is portrayed in Ukrainian media as this very democratic state that is defending itself against the autocracy of other Middle Eastern countries,” she mentioned, including that crucially “there is no Palestine in this narrative.”
Kishchuk mentioned the extent of information about Palestine, its historical past and the continuing Israeli occupation has begun to extend.
Main Ukrainian opinion makers and intellectuals specialising within the Center East have gained traction within the media, offering context about Ukraine’s historic help of Palestine. Kyiv had beforehand constantly backed UN resolutions denouncing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
In the meantime, photos depicting the “horrors” of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza have created a way of empathy amongst Ukrainians who now are unable to disregard the parallels with their very own experiences of conflict, she mentioned.
Kishchuk has additionally been buoyed by a change of tone amongst authorities officers in current months.
In December, in one thing of a shift, Zelenskyy mentioned Ukraine recognises the independence of each the Israeli and Palestinian folks.