Israel urges Poland to repeal law depriving Holocaust survivors, victims’ families from property restitution

Israel urged the Polish authorities to repeal a newly approved law that prevents Holocaust survivors and descendants of victims from obtaining restitution for property and assets that were seized when they were forced to leave Poland during and after the Second World War.

Members of the Israeli Knesset warned that the new law, which was approved by the Polish parliament on Wednesday, will deprive Holocaust survivors and their descendants from access of their property rights.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid condemned the legislation, adding that it “damages both the memory of the Holocaust and the rights of its victims.”

“I will continue to oppose any attempt to rewrite history … Poland knows what the right thing to do is – repeal the law,” Lapid said in a statement on his official Twitter account.

Israeli media predicted a possible diplomatic crisis between Warsaw and Tel Aviv over the controversial Polish legislation, which is still pending the Polish president’s ratification before it can come into force.

READ: Poland closes window for Holocaust survivors to regain confiscated property