Poland condemns ‘racist’ attack on its ambassador in Israel

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki yesterday condemned on Wednesday the “racist” and “xenophobic” attack on his country’s Ambassador to Israel Marek Magierowski.

On Twitter Morawiecki wrote: “I am very worried to hear of a racist attack on @PLinIsrael ambassador @mmagierowski. Poland strongly condemns this xenophobic act of aggression. Violence against diplomats or any other citizens should never be tolerated.”

According to the Times of Israel, Poland’s foreign ministry summoned the Israeli Ambassador in Warsaw, Anna Azari, to discuss the matter.

The ambassador said, according to Ynet News, Magierowski was outside the Polish embassy in Tel Aviv when a man attacked him and shouted is are thought to have been curse words in Hebrew.

READ: Jewish effigy representing Judas burnt and hung in Poland 

Spokesman of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Emmanuel Nahshon replied to Morawiecki’s tweet saying: “Israel expresses its full sympathy with the Polish ambassador and shock at the attack. Israeli police currently investigating. We will update our Polish friends. This is a top priority to us, as we are fully committed to diplomats’ safety and security.”

Israel expresses its full sympathy with the Polish ambassador and shock at the attack. Israeli police currently investigating. We will update our Polish friends . This is a top priority to us, as we are fully committed to diplomats safety and security @IsraelMFA @IsraelinPoland

— Emmanuel Nahshon (@EmmanuelNahshon) May 15, 2019

Ynet News said that “the attack came amid the growing diplomatic tension between the two countries, as the former Soviet-backed nation refuses to pay restitution to Holocaust survivors and downplays the county’s involvement in Nazi-orchestrated atrocities.”

On Monday the Polish government canceled a visit by an Israeli delegation as it learned that the Israelis intended to bring up the restitution issue, the Foreign Ministry said.