Isaac Herzog
© AP Photo/ Dan BaliltyIsaac Herzog
On January 26, Poland passed legislation, banning speculation on the nation's complicity in crimes against humanity committed by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Two days after the bill was adopted, Israel summoned Piotr Kozlowski, the charge d'affaire for Poland's embassy, for clarification.

"Israel's opposition to the wording of the bill was expressed to him. The timing of the bill - the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day - was particularly surprising and unfortunate," Israel's foreign ministry said, adding that "the legislation will not help further the exposure of historical truth and may harm freedom of research, as well as prevent discussion of the historical message and legacy of World War II".


Comment: Note that Israel is only concerned about free speech when it benefits Israel. It does not believe in free speech when it comes to describing the plight of the Palestinians for example. Indeed, no, instead that is described as antisemitism.


The bill, adopted by Poland's rightwing-dominated parliament, set a maximum three-year jail term for anyone who blamed the Nazi atrocities on Poles, or referred to Nazi German concentration camps as being Polish.

On January 27, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Warsaw of seeking to distort facts and deny history.

"We have no tolerance for the distortion of the truth and rewriting history or denying the Holocaust," he said.


Comment: However, we are more than happy to distort the truth and rewrite history and deny attempted genocide when it comes to dealing with the Palestinians


"The law is baseless; I strongly oppose it. One cannot change history and the Holocaust cannot be denied. I've instructed the Israeli Ambassador to Poland to meet the Polish PM this evening and express my strong position against the law," Netanyahu said in a statement published on Twitter.

The bill must pass the Senate before being signed by the president, but Netanyahu made it clear "that it must be changed."

Polish officials, including the country's Prime Minsiter Mateusz Morawiecki, have repeatedly requested corrections when media refer to Nazi death camps as Polish, such as Auschwitz.


Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recall the country's ambassador to Poland Anna Azari after Polish lawmakers adopted a bill, banning attempts to impose blame upon Poles for crimes against humanity committed by Nazi Germany during World War II, including the mass murder of Jews.

"I am calling on Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recall the Israeli ambassador to Poland to hold consultations concerning the law adopted by Poland. The law is unacceptable, in our point of view," Herzog, who chairs the opposition Labor Party, said late on Saturday.

Other Israeli opposition politicians, including ex-Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and Yesh Atid, the former finance minister, also voiced criticism over the Polish bill.