Israel Summons Polish Envoy for Reprimand After Gaza-Holocaust Comparison

Israel has formally summoned the Polish ambassador for a reprimand, after Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, suggested a comparison between Israel’s war in Gaza and Nazi Germany’s conduct in World War II.

Tusk said on X on Sunday (translation via Grok): “Poland was, is, and will be on Israel’s side in its confrontation with Islamic terrorism, but never on the side of politicians whose actions lead to hunger and the death of mothers and children. This must be obvious to nations that together went through the hell of World War II. ”

Israel flatly rejects the idea that people are starving in Gaza, or that it is responsible for the suffering of Palestinian mothers and children in Gaza, given that it is surging humanitarian aid to the territory, and that Hamas steals the aid while refusing to let Israeli hostages go free and brining about an end to the war.

A reprimand is a form of diplomatic protest, meant to convey displeasure to an ambassador’s government.

The Israeli foreign ministry also responded with a statement (via Times of Israel):

“Israel firmly rejects these accusations and expects Poland to refrain from using language that distorts history and dishonors the memory of Holocaust victims. The head of the Division emphasized that Israel is fighting a terrorist organization that openly seeks the murder of Jews and Israelis, and the destruction of Israel,” the statement reads.

There have been other, recent controversies between Israel and Poland, both over the Gaza war and over the Holocaust, after Poland moved to prohibit, by law, claims that Poles collaborated with Nazis in the Holocaust.