Polish president: Anti-Semitism increase is Israel's fault

Arutz Sheva ^ | 27/9/19

[Eleutheria5]

Polish President Andrzej Duda blamed Israel for Poland's anti-Semitism, the Jewish Insider reported Friday.

In a Wednesday meeting with American Jewish leaders at the Polish Consulate in New York, Duda criticized Israel's lack of regret over statements regarding Poland's participation in the Holocaust, and said Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz's comments several months ago were a "humiliation."

According to participants in the meeting - which included representatives from the Anti-Defamation League and AIPAC - Duda also suggested that the increase in anti-Semitic attacks against Jews in Poland were a consequence of Katz's comments.

Duda's countrymen also told him not to travel until Katz apologized, the Jewish Insider added.

Holocaust survivor Edward Mosberg defended Duda's comments, claiming that Jews "like Israel Katz" are responsible for the increase in anti-Semitism, witnesses told the Insider.

In February, Katz said that "Poles suckle anti-Semitism from their mother’s milk." Following his comments, Poland pulled out of the Visegrad Group (V4) summit...

[Eleutheria5]

Simple solution. Leave Poland. Israel awaits.

Forgot to make fun of him:

Camptown racetracks sing your name.
Duda. Duda.
You say Israel is to blame
Duda. Duda.
for the Duda days?
Thin-skinned Poles are that way.

[escapefromboston]

I can’t imagine Katz’s statements helped the situation.

[bgill]

Accept they don’t regret a thing and deal with them as enemies. The ball is in Poland’s court to do with as they may but Israel isn’t required to play the game anymore.

[Snook79]

Ironically, he probably thinks Adolf Hitler, but fails to see that Hitler was a symptom of European anti-Semitism.

[Snook79]

Ironically, he probably thinks Adolf Hitler was a bad man, but fails to see that Hitler was a symptom of European anti-Semitism.

[PlateOfShrimp]

Am I the only one on FR who is heartbroken by this contretemps? Things are bad enough now without two allies fighting. I can see where both are coming from (particularly Israel), but these guys need to stop painting themselves onto tree branches. This is where diplomats come in - both sides need to find some carefully-worded statement they can live with. It is in Israel's interest going forward to have good relations with Poland.

I read a letter to the editor in one of the Israeli papers where some Israeli living in Poland claimed that internally in Poland, there is plenty of soul-searching and openness about Polish involvement in the Holocaust, the problem is what the leaders say for external consumption.

[ConservativeMind]

“Poles suckle anti-Semitism from their mother’s milk.”

Uh, yeah, that’s racist, without a doubt.

[Eleutheria5]

Agreed. But the reaction is the fault of the reactors, not the Israeli government.

[mrmeyer]

I see the situation as just more fruits of identity politics.

[AmericanCheeseFood]

Victim blame much?

[Gay State Conservative]

Poland's history over the last 100 years (or more) has been a *very* difficult one...largely due to its proximity to Germany and Russia.It's my understanding that there was (and,perhaps,still is) anti semitism in Poland...but then one can even find it in Israel.

In recent times Jews have suffered greatly...and Poles have suffered too.

[Eleutheria5]

Poland was victimized by the Israeli foreign minister? Or by Jews living in Poland having massive rallies in favor of his statement? The Poles are the ones victimizing here, even though Israel Katz’ statement itself was bigoted and ill-considered imho. I didn’t say it. I don’t endorse it. Neither did any Jews living or traveling in Poland. It’s not a legitimate protest of Israel Katz to attack them, or harass them, and if President Duda thinks it is, he’s an a$$hole, not a victim.