Israel’s ambassador to Poland, Anna Azari, explained on TVN24 why Israel found the amended bill on the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) controversial. "In Israel, this bill is treated as something that may potentially enable the prosecution of journalists or even the very Holocaust survivors who share their stories," she said. She stressed that in her opinion, these regulations could cause "a much greater storm" in her homeland than in Poland.
The amended IPN bill passed by the Sejm on Friday was opposed by the Israeli authorities. The adopted changes include additional punishments for, among others, "grossly limiting the responsibility of the true perpetrators" of the Holocaust.
On 27 January, during the celebration of the 73rd anniversary of liberating Auschwitz-Birkenau, ambassador Anna Azari called for the law to be amended. She stressed that "Israel regarded it as a potential punishment for sharing the accounts of Holocaust survivors."
“Israel is on the same side as Poland”
The guest of Wstajesz i wiesz programme said that Israeli authorities found fault not with the idea as such, but with the vague wording of the amended bill. "In Israel, this bill is treated as something that may potentially enable the prosecution of journalists or even the very Holocaust survivors who share their stories," Azari stressed.
She also added that the storm caused by the amended legislation may prove to be much greater in Israel than in Poland.
The ambassador emphasised that Israel had no objections to Poland defending its good name. "Israel is on the same side as Poland when it comes to the fact that the death camps were built by Nazi Germany," Azari assured.
"We had no indication that this would happen now"
At the same time, the ambassador countered the opinions of Polish politicians who claimed that the Israeli side was aware of the content of the amended bill on the Institute of National Remembrance.
"We had no indication that this would happen now. What is more, the day chosen to pass this act – right before the International Holocaust Remembrance Day – was terrible," the ambassador stressed.
"I had to say it at that very moment"
Anna Azari referred to the words of president Andrzej Duda, who said on Monday on public TV that he was "outraged that the ambassador mentioned this [the IPN bill – editor’s note] during the celebrations (…) at Auschwitz, given that Poles who had been imprisoned at the camp were also in attendance."
The ambassador noted that her speech took place following the statement of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "I am not a private person. I had to say it at that very moment," she added. She stressed that Israel honoured Holocaust survivors and no-one intended to disturb the ceremony.
She also added that she had been forced to abandon her prepared speech.
The ambassador hopes for a compromise
When asked about the outcome of her Monday meeting on the IPN bill with Krzysztof Szczerski, head of president Duda’s cabinet, the ambassador said that the main conversation that yielded results was the one held by prime ministers Mateusz Morawiecki and Benjamin Netanyahu. She added that the politicians decided to launch a working group to solve the situation.
Azari stressed that Israel and Poland had enjoyed a good relationship for many years and hoped that "no one wanted to ruin that." At the same time, she expressed her hope that a compromise would be reached. "We are looking for a constructive, common dialogue," she emphasised.
"Very broad, very problematic"
When asked about Israel’s expectations from the working group, she said that a constructive dialogue was required in order to find a common path. She mentioned that one possible solution was adding a further provision to clarify that the bill would not be used against journalists, for example.
"I hope that we will find a way to make the wording more precise," Azari reiterated. She added that a lawyer in Poland was consulted about the situation, pointing out that the amended IPN bill "could be treated in a very broad and very problematic manner."
The ambassador stressed that she spent three and a half years in Poland working "to bring the two nations closer, not to pull them apart."
"It’s about the common narrative"
When asked whether it was possible to deescalate the emotions regarding the amended bill, she said that such an emotional fire was difficult to extinguish. At the same time, she expected to see a normal dialogue between both sides, hoping that "all that we’ve done together for the last almost 30 years will not be ruined."
Ambassador Azari stressed on TVN24 that "Poland is an independent country and has the right to enact its own laws, but the question concerns a common international narrative, which is very important for Jews."
Źródło: tvn24.pl/tłumaczenie Intertext.com.pl
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: tvn24