Israeli, Polish FMs speak about restoring full diplomatic ties

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen speaks with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau about restoring full bilateral ties, in the first conversation between the countries’ top diplomats in over two years.

According to Israel, Rau says he would weigh returning an envoy to Israel.

In July 2021, Poland’s legislature passed a law effectively cutting off any future restitution to the heirs of property seized by the Nazis during the Holocaust. In response to the legislation, then-foreign minister Yair Lapid recalled Israel’s envoy to Warsaw for consultations the following month and advised Poland’s ambassador to Israel to remain on vacation in his homeland.

Yacov Livne filled the post in Warsaw in July 2022, his path back smoothed by the need to coordinate humanitarian and consular efforts in neighboring Ukraine.

But other tensions remain.

Israel in June canceled educational trips to Poland for thousands of high school students. The cancellation of the Holocaust school trips had reignited longstanding tensions between the two countries over Poland’s treatment of its Jewish citizens during the Holocaust.

Cohen and Rau speak about finalizing an agreement about resuming the trips, and say they will meet in person soon.