Polish Senate bans talking about Polish death camps, Israel and US criticized this decision

The Senate of Poland approved a law introducing criminal penalties for mentioning that the Nazi concentration camps were Polish. It is also forbidden to claim that Poland is responsible for the crimes of the Nazis, reports Interfax.

In the Polish upper house, the majority of senators voted for this law: 57 - for, 23 - against, two abstained, writes The New Times. For the law to finally come into force, it must be signed by President Andrzej Duda.

What is the law

The lower house of the Polish parliament passed a bill introducing criminal penalties for using the phrases “Polish death camp” to describe the Nazi concentration camps that existed in occupied Poland, writes about this NEWSru.co.il.

According to the document, the former concentration camps should be called “German concentration camps”.

The passed bill prohibits publicly accusing Poland of involvement in Holocaust crimes, complicity in Nazi Germany, war crimes or crimes against humanity.

Any citizen of Poland and even a foreigner who violated this prohibition may be sentenced to a fine or imprisonment of up to three years. Those who try to "deliberately downplay the responsibility of the true perpetrators of these crimes" will also be punished.

Israel's reaction

In Israel, the decision of the Polish parliamentarians reacted very negatively. According to Newsru.co.il, Transport Minister Israel Katz appealed to Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding the immediate withdrawal of Israeli Ambassador to Poland Anna Azari for consultations.

According to Katz, “the law adopted by the Poles is a denial of responsibility and a denial of Poland’s participation in the Holocaust.”

The Minister is convinced that the perpetuation of the memory of the victims of the Holocaust should be more important than political considerations.

In turn, Knesset member Itzik Shmuli said: “This law is a dubious achievement for Poland. It became the first country to legislate Holocaust denial.”

It also became known that the Israeli Foreign Ministry canceled the visit of the head of the National Security Council of Poland to Jerusalem. The representative of Poland was to arrive on February 4 to meet with the head of the Israeli National Security Council, Meier Ben-Shabbat.

In addition, the chief rabbi of Kiev and Ukraine, Moshe-Reuven Asman, wrote in Facebookthat the building of the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw was blocked by police in order to protect against radical nationalists. He sees the danger of anti-Semitic attacks by Polish radicals on Israeli schoolchildren.

Therefore, the rabbi turned to Naftali Bennet, Minister of Education and Diaspora of Israel, with a proposal to cancel the traditional “March of Life” for thousands of Israeli schoolchildren in former Nazi concentration camps in Poland planned for April 2018 and hold this event in Ukraine.

“In recent days we have seen anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hysteria in the Polish media and in the Polish parliament,” wrote Moshe-Reuven Azman. — Conducting “Marches of Life” costs tens of millions of dollars from Israel annually. Therefore, I believe it is right to respond financially to an anti-Semitic law that tries to silence historians and witnesses of the Holocaust. As the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, I propose to hold such “Marches of Life” in Ukraine in 2018. In our country, unfortunately, there are many places associated with the Holocaust - Babi Yar in Kyiv, Drobitsky Yar in Kharkov, Yanovsky camp in Lviv and dozens of similar places of Jewish tragedy. “In addition, unlike Poland, holding such marches in Ukraine will allow Israeli schoolchildren to save 50% of their expenses.”

US reaction

In the United States, they also reacted negatively to the Polish legislative initiative. how State Department spokeswoman said Heather Neuert, the law may affect relations between Poland and the United States and Israel.

“We urge Poland to reassess the bill in the light of its potential impact on the principles of freedom of speech and on our ability to be effective partners,” said Neuert.

*****

On the eve of Poland’s adoption of the bill, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized this legislative initiative and asked the Polish parliament to amend the document before it is considered in the Senate.

“No law can change the historical truth. There is no place for attempts to “educate” the families of the survivors in the Holocaust, who live every day with the memory of their loved ones who have burned down in this hell, ”says statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Israel fears that the new rule will contribute to the denial of the role of Poland in crimes against the Jews.

Read also on ForumDaily:

How the USA keeps memory of the victims of the Holocaust

From slaughter to revenge: Why the world still does not understand the Holocaust

Israel is the safest place for Jews

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.