Israel declined the request of President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko to visit this country on 5 May on the Day of Catastrophe, which is celebrated in memory of Jews who died during the Second World War times.

According to TV 5 Kanal, the official excuses, given to Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Timofeyev, included the lack of time to prepare Yushchenko’s visit and a tense schedule of acting President of Israel Dahlia Itsik. As it is known, President Katsav is still waiting for a trial on accusations of raping. However, Israeli newspaper “Maara”, referring to its sources, unveils the real reason of declining Yushchenko’s visit. The Israeli Foreign Ministry got to know that Victor Yushchenko, in his speech on the Israeli Day of Catastrophe, was going to make a parallel between the Holocaust and the Ukrainian Holodomor [the Great Famine]. The newspaper asserts that Israel does not want to recognize the Holodomor as genocide not to spoil relations with Russia.

Видео дня