Skip to main content

Israel-Poland row escalates over law limiting WWII restitution

The approval by Polish President Andrzej Duda of legislation limiting the ability of Jews to recover property seized by Nazis in Poland during World War II deeply angered Jerusalem and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

Visitors look at the Hall of Names, a repository for the names of millions of Holocaust victims at the Yad Vashem memorial center, Jerusalem, Jan. 20, 2020.
Visitors look at the Hall of Names, a repository for the names of millions of Holocaust victims at the Yad Vashem memorial center, Jerusalem, Jan. 20, 2020. — Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images

The diplomatic war between Jerusalem and Warsaw has been escalating in the past week, with new developments unfolding almost on a daily basis. The reason for this recent open war is the approval, first by the Polish parliament and then by Polish President Andrzej Duda, of a bill limiting the ability of Jews to recover property seized by Nazis in Poland during World War II.

The last bitter exchange between the two countries came Aug. 15. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki rejected accusations by Jerusalem that the new legislation was in fact antisemitic. He also expressed anger over the decision by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to call back Israel’s top diplomat in Warsaw and to avoid sending to Warsaw the newly appointed ambassador. “Israel’s decision to lower the rank of the diplomatic representation in Warsaw is groundless and irresponsible. … If the Israeli government continues to attack Poland in this way, it will also have a very negative impact on our relations, both bilateral and international forums,” said Morawiecki.

Related Topics

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in