- December 5, 2025
- 9:33 am
- World News
Ukraine is not Israel and not “Palestine”, asserts journalist Dmytro Galko. In an article for “NAnews”, we examine why comparing these cases is dangerous and incorrect — and how exactly they differ.
Comparisons that lead to a dead end
On June 29, 2025, a piece by journalist Dmytro Galko was published on the Ukrainian news portal “Glavcom” criticizing frequent attempts to compare the war in Ukraine with the Israeli or “Palestinian” cases. In his view, these parallels are not just superficial but fundamentally flawed.
The journalist emphasizes that Israel is a unique case with no historical equivalent. Meanwhile, Ukraine is part of a classic anti-colonial struggle, of which there have been many examples.
Why Israel is not a comparison model
The Israeli state was born in the context of the unique historical and religious fate of the Jewish people. From the beginning, Israel was built as a military fortress, with high autonomy, initiative, and even nuclear weapons. It is a strong regional player that not only defends itself but actively shapes the strategic architecture of the Middle East.
Ukraine, on the other hand:
- Disarmed itself after the collapse of the USSR;
- Felt no existential threat until 2014;
- Relied on international guarantees, including the Budapest Memorandum.
Table of differences
| Parameter | Israel | Ukraine | “Palestine” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Historical context | Revival of a scattered nation | Anti-colonial movement | Part of the Arab world |
| Military status | Nuclear weapons, defense, autonomy | Peaceful existence, disarmament | Dependence on other countries |
| Threat | Terrorism and external aggression | Attempt at full takeover | Geopolitical struggle |
| Identity | Jewish nation | Formed historically | Arab identity |
Why Ukraine is not “Palestine”
Galko highlights a key difference in the perception of the enemy. Russia is not just claiming territory, as is often the case in international conflicts. It claims the Ukrainian people themselves, denying them the right to exist. This is not a struggle for land — it is an attempt to erase identity.
The “Palestinian issue” is nationalism versus nationalism: two peoples claiming the same land. But Ukrainians are not “distorted Russians”, as Putin’s propaganda tries to portray. Ukrainian identity was formed over centuries on its own land.
Quotes from Dmytro Galko
“Russia’s claims are not territorial. They want to control an entire people — or destroy them if they resist.”
“Israel is a regional superpower, with high autonomy and initiative.”
Unequal starting positions
Israel was born in a state of constant struggle for survival. It never disarmed. It immediately defended itself.
Ukraine lived through 23 peaceful years, not preparing for aggression. Only after 2014 did it begin restoring its army and political sovereignty.
The editorial team at NAnews – Israel News emphasizes: equating these cases and trying to draw forced parallels serves propaganda. It erases real differences, hinders solidarity, and distorts the truth.
Similarity does not equal equivalence
Yes, Israel and Ukraine today stand on the same side of the barricade — the side that defends the right to exist, to freedom, and to security.
But that does not make them identical. Their paths, their histories, and their challenges are different.
Read more opinions and in-depth analysis on NAnews – Israel News, where we continue to explore how the destinies of our peoples intertwine and how we can support one another.
Full text (translated from Ukrainian by NAnews, original spelling and phrasing preserved):
“Why Ukraine is not Israel and not Palestine: the key difference”
June 29, 2025, 16:31
Once again, I came across a comparison of Ukraine with Israel in my news feed. Sometimes it’s compared with Palestine.
I believe both comparisons are completely inappropriate.
The case of Israel is entirely unique — there is no equivalent.
The case of Ukraine is a typical anti-colonial struggle, of which there have been hundreds.
Arabs (Persians, Muslims) were not oppressors of Jews. They did not colonize their lands. They did not impose their language and identity. Arabs conquered these lands from the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium). Jews and Samaritans were national minorities there; the majority of the population were Orthodox Christians. Unlike the Byzantines, the Arabs allowed Jews to live in Jerusalem. And they had no assimilation program.
But Ukraine is not Palestine either. Because Jews do not see Palestinians as “also Jews” who were turned into Palestinians by someone’s evil will.
Palestinians are part of the broader Arab world, which awakened nationally at the end of the 19th — beginning of the 20th century, like many other peoples elsewhere. They considered the entire Middle East theirs and didn’t want strong competitors there, especially those supported by the West.
Israel is a regional superpower, with nuclear weapons, high autonomy and initiative, and is an active participant in the region’s strategic architecture. From the beginning, Israel has been a military fortress.
Ukraine is a state that disarmed in front of its former metropole, without sensing an existential threat. It lived for 23 years mostly peacefully, without intending to fight. And despite different states existing here in the past, the Ukrainian people (and their direct ancestors) have always lived here.
The difference seems obvious. The comparisons don’t just limp — they’re fundamentally wrong. The Arab-Israeli conflict from the start was a conflict between two nationalisms claiming the same territory and failing to find common ground.
Russia’s claims are not territorial — they aim to possess an entire nation or destroy it if it resists.”