In early 2018, Poland passed a law that criminalised any reference to Poland or Poles being involved or complicit in crimes committed during the Shoah. In particular, the law criminalised use of the term "Polish death camps". In essence, the Poles have denied that crimes committed on Polish soil during the Shoah were anything to do with Poland or Polish people. Instead, the blame is being laid squarely at the door of the Nazis and the Third Reich, which occupied Poland at that time. While the acts and influences by the Nazis is undeniable, there is also little doubt that Poles were complicit in some terrible crimes that were perpetrated in the Shoah against Jews. This is true both in the death camps and ghettos that were on Polish soil, and in individual events that took place elsewhere. Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, whose father was killed during the Shoah by Poles, adamantly claimed that "Poles suckle antisemitism with their mothers' milk". This statement is considered to have significantly delayed the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Poland, but also shows the strength of his hatred towards the antisemitism shown by Poles.
The official Polish position on all that took place during the Shoah in Poland is that it was either perpetrated by the Nazis, or was perpetrated at the instigation of the Nazis. This effectively absolves Poland and Polish people of any crimes committed against Jews, as the Nazis are blamed even for the crimes committed by Poles. Why does Israel care about what Poland says now about acts that were committed more than 70 years ago? Why does Israel feel that it has a dilemma about how to respond to Poland's position on Shoah-era actions?
Antisemitism is increasingly visible and rife around the world. Much of it is dressed up as anti-Israel activity in an attempt to make it politically acceptable to express in public. But the age-old antisemitism that was so prevalent in the years leading up to the Shoah and during the Shoah, is very visible again today. And it is being too easily and broadly tolerated. Poland is not exempt from this phenomenon, with highly visible signs of antisemitism evident all around Poland. It is incumbent upon the Polish government to acknowledge and accept the actions of Poles during the Shoah as a platform to oppose it in the current day. If Israel was to simply smooth over the role of the Poles during the Shoah, this would serve not only to insult the memories of numerous Jews and non-Jews who were killed or abused at the hands of Poles or where Poles were complicit or indifferent, but it would also serve to dilute the fight against antisemitism in Poland in the current day.
In spite of this, we cannot forget that there are more Poles who have been declared "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre, than any other nation. This is a title bestowed upon those who helped Jews in spite of the overwhelming social pressures that influenced them to be antisemitic. There is no attempt to paint the Polish people as universally antisemitic. It is important to recognise both right and wrong. The real dilemma for Israel presents itself in the form of the opposition to this by the Polish government that has an impact on diplomatic relations between the two countries. Cordial diplomatic relations with Poland have helped Israel to educate many of its younger generation and young leadership by sending them to Poland to witness first-hand the atrocities that were committed at the death camps on Polish soil. This education process culminates each year in the annual "March of the Living" during which Jews return to Auschwitz-Birkenau with Israeli Air Force planes flying overhead to proclaim "never again". If this is all that Israel manages to get out of its diplomatic relations with Poland, it is a great deal. And probably enough to justify maintaining diplomatic relations almost at any price.
The law in Poland has now been changed such that it is no longer a criminal offence to implicate Poland in the Shoah, but now "only" a civil offence. The denial has been diluted in its severity rather than being cancelled, which is surely not enough. This denial is unwelcome, and is supporting the resurgence of antisemitism in Poland, Europe and around the world. The Polish government stands accused, once again, of being complicit to antisemitism. And, while the Israeli government and officials will continue to speak out on this matter, this opposition is unlikely to be allowed to derail the diplomatic relations between the two countries. With some justification.
Under current circumstances, I would forego diplomatic relations with Poland to protest their denial. I would make a statement that requires Poland to recognise the role played by Poles in persecuting Jews, even if this comes at the expense of diplomatic relations with Poland. I support Prime Minister Netanyahu in his insistence on taking the difficult decision to talk about this during his recent trip to Poland. Anything less would be a statement condoning antisemitism. Even though more than 70 years have passed since the Shoah, Poland should be forced to acknowledge the role played by Polish forefathers in this black period in Poland's history.
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