A protest was held in Israel against the purchase of Ukrainian grain stolen by Russia – photo

A protest took place in Herzliya at the office of a company linked to the grain scandal

In Israel, the question that can no longer be hidden behind commercial formulations is being raised again: can Ukrainian grain, illegally exported by Russia from occupied territories, become a regular commodity on the Israeli market?

On May 1, 2026, it became known that a protest in support of Ukraine took place in Herzliya at the office of a company that, according to the Ukrainian side and public activists, purchased grain from the Russian ship ‘ABINSK’. This is not just about the supply of agricultural products, but about a cargo that Ukrainian diplomats and activists call ‘bloody’ — because it is associated with the robbery of Ukraine during the war.

According to the Ukrainian embassy in Israel, the demonstration took place near the office of Dizengoff Trading Company 1952 Ltd.

The initiator and organizer of the protest was the organization Israeli Friends of Ukraine.

The purpose of the protest was straightforward: resources stolen from the Ukrainian people should not become part of trade in Israel. Especially in a country that understands well what war, occupation, security, the right to defense, and the moral cost of silence mean.

Why it’s not just about grain

The scandal surrounding the supply of Ukrainian grain illegally exported by Russia is gradually becoming a serious issue for Israel. Formally, it may look like a trade story: ship, cargo, port, importer, documents, supplier.

But in essence, it’s about something else.

If the grain was exported from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, then it is not ordinary wheat and not ordinary barley. It is part of the economy of the occupied territories, part of a military scheme where the aggressor tries to turn stolen resources into money, influence, and international legalization.

That is why the Ukrainian side calls such cargoes a problem not only economic but also moral, legal, and political.

For the Israeli audience, there is a painful detail here. Israel often demands that the world understand its security, its threats, and its right to defend itself. But then it is also important for Israel to pay close attention to Ukrainian signals when it comes to goods associated with Russian aggression and temporarily occupied territories.

The ship ABINSK, Panormitis, and the question of responsibility

According to data provided by the Ukrainian side, the Russian bulk carrier ABINSK entered the port of Haifa on April 12. Investigative journalist of the SeaKrime project of the ‘Peacemaker’ Center, Kateryna Yaresko, reported that the ship delivered 43.7 thousand tons of wheat exported from the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Later, Ukraine stated that at least two shipments of agricultural products illegally exported by Russia from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories had arrived in Israel. This was stated by the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Georgiy Tikhiy.

On April 15, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiha, drew the attention of his Israeli colleague Gideon Sa’ar to the Russian ship with Ukrainian agricultural products that docked in one of Israel’s ports. Later, Israel informed Ukraine that it was too late to detain the ship as it had already left the port.

But the story did not end there.

On April 27, after reports of a second ship with stolen Ukrainian grain, the Israeli ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. And on April 30, Andriy Sybiha announced that the ship Panormitis with grain from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine would not be unloaded in Israel.

Why Panormitis became an important signal

The ship Panormitis, according to available information, was carrying about 25 thousand tons of wheat and barley. The estimated market value of the cargo is about 7 million dollars.

The organization Israeli Friends of Ukraine reported that the company ‘Tzenciper’, one of the largest grain importers in Israel, refused to accept this cargo at the port of Haifa and notified the supplier that they needed to find another port for unloading.

This decision became an important precedent. In the Ukrainian assessment, it showed that the pressure of diplomacy, the press, the civil sector, and international risks can work.

At the same time, according to media reports, it was not a decision of the Israeli government. The Israeli importing company reportedly refused unloading due to the risk of falling under international sanctions. And this is also an important detail: even if the state position seems cautious, business is already beginning to understand the cost of participating in dubious supplies.

Civil pressure in Israel and Ukraine’s legal front

The protest in Herzliya was a continuation of a broader campaign.

Ukrainian diplomacy, public organizations, investigative journalists, and activists are trying not to let the topic disappear from the public field.

The Ukrainian embassy in Israel emphasized that the struggle is not over and continues, including in the legal sphere. Earlier, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine sent the Israeli side a package of documents for the arrest of the Russian ship with stolen Ukrainian grain.

After Ukraine’s procedural actions, the ship Panormitis left Israel’s territorial waters and went into neutral waters. This episode became an indicator that legal steps, publicity, and reputational risks can influence the behavior of market participants.

In this context, NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency draws attention to the main question for Israeli society: this story is not only about Ukraine. It concerns whether Israel is ready to remain a country where resources stolen by Russia do not receive quiet commercial legalization.

Why silence is dangerous for Israel itself

The topic of stolen Ukrainian grain can be used against Israel by its detractors.

If such cargoes enter Israeli ports and companies continue to work with dubious supplies, it will provide grounds for accusations, pressure, and new information attacks.

And the problem here is not only in private business. Import, permits, port procedures, customs, documents, and control — all this is somehow connected with state mechanisms. Therefore, society has the right to ask: who checks the origin of such cargoes, who makes decisions, and why does Ukraine have to seek a reaction only after the ship has entered the port?

For Israel, which often faces double standards and international pressure itself, it is especially important not to create vulnerable spots where they can be avoided.

The Ukrainian side speaks directly: resources stolen from the Ukrainian people cannot become a subject of trade. This is not an emotional slogan, but a basic position of a country that is being deprived of land, people, harvest, ports, and economy during the war.

What needs to change next

The story with ABINSK and Panormitis shows that one-time refusals to unload are no longer sufficient. Transparent mechanisms for checking the origin of grain, a clear position of importers, supplier responsibility, and the reaction of state structures are needed.

Israeli companies must understand: goods from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are not just a risk of bad PR. These are possible sanctions, legal consequences, and moral responsibility.

For the Ukrainian community, for Israelis supporting Ukraine, and for everyone who cares about not turning war into a business scheme, the protest in Herzliya became an important signal. Society sees who buys, who remains silent, who refuses, and who demands transparency.

This is how a topic that started with a ship and cargo reaches a higher level.

This is no longer just about grain.

It’s a question of whether stolen goods can become normal commodities — and who in Israel is ready to say that no, they cannot.