Bad signs in Poland
Polish president Lech Kaczyinski promised to fight 'all-out war' against anti-Semitism. Now's his chance
Last autumn, Poland held two election campaigns, one for president, the other for parliament. Prof. Lech Kaczyński of the centrist "law and justice" party was elected president. "Law and Justice" also won the parliamentary elections, but it took until early May, following a series of crises and threats, to form a stable coalition.
In order to form the government, two parties heretofore believed to be untouchable were brought into the coalition: "Self Defense" and "The Polish Families' League." The participation of these two parties creates complicated problems for Israel and for Jews.
Beware the foreigners
"Self Defense" leader Andrei Lepper, a politician who excels at overblown public scandals, mudslinging and a course, violent manner of speaking. In the eyes of many Poles he is the local incarnation of Russian populist Zhirinovsky. The "Self Defense" party does push a populist-nationalist platform, inciting against foreign investors and the central bank, and warns about "foreign money" taking over Polish media.
Lepper himself told an interview that "Hitler wanted the best for Germany," but despite the fact that many "Self Defense" voters are anti-Semitic, he has taken care to make his total opposition to anti-Semitism clear. He also says that those holding anti-Semitic opinions will be purged from his party, and has even suggested he has got some Jewish blood.
Lepper's addition to the Polish government as deputy Prime Minister and agriculture minister has Poland's friends in Israel, Europe and the Jewish world worried. It could also potentially strike a blow at Israel-Poland relations on a personal level, but on an official/ diplomatic level, it is none of Israel's business. It is a domestic Polish affair. All countries, including fully democratic ones, have populist parties such as "Self Defense," and all try different ways to deal with them.
Openly anti-Semitic
All this in contrast to the second coalition partner mentioned above, the Polish Families League (PFL). The PFL is a marginal Catholic-nationalist party that presents itself as the political and ideological heir of the large anti-Jewish party that operated in Poland between the two world wars. The party boasts a fanatical, nationalist youth group, which bypasses the Catholic radio station "Radio Maria" from the right.
The head of the PFL is Roman Giertych, the grandson and ideological heir of one of the most prolific and venomous Polish anti-Semites in the modern period. The French newspaper "Le Monde has called Giertych "homophobic and anti-Semitic."
Giertych is not only a deputy prime minister, but he is also the education minister. There are deep connections between Israel and the Polish education ministry (the ministry has been part of many project initiatives, such as roots expeditions to Poland by Israeli high school students).
While it is true that several Family's League members are members of the Israel-Poland parliamentary friendship group, let there be no mistake about it: The spiritual and ideological world of the party is doused with anti-Semitism to the very roots.
Unofficial boycott
Therefore, until proven otherwise, Giertych is not a legitimate partner for dialogue for Israel. David Peleg, Israel's ambassador to Warsaw, should refuse any official contact with him – without officially "boycotting" him – and should not hesitate to express Israel's shock and the lofty position bestowed upon him by the Government of Poland.
In an interview with Israel's leading daily Yedioth Ahronoth upon being elected president of Poland, Prof. Kaczyński spoke about his undying admiration for Israel and his intention to wage all-out war against anti-Semitism in his country.
That promise will now be put to the test, and the burden of proof is on his shoulders. The fact that there are virtually no Jews left in Poland means nothing. Anti-Semites don’t need Jews to be what they are.
