About a year ago, I shared the following video on my Twitter timeline:
It’s a video by the Polish-South African Stefan Tompson, whom probably is best identified as a seeker of truth, exposing the facts that people don’t want to face. Including me actually, as he is known for not just sharing the truth about Poland, but also about my own country, Ukraine.
In all honesty, if I was someone who denies truth, as groups of nationalistic Israelis and fellow Jews have been proclaiming in the recent 2 weeks, I wouldn’t have supported him. After all, he has publicly shown some harsher truths of my own country. However, I do support him, just like I support the Polish people.
The video above was regarding the Polish-Israeli problems regarding one of Poland’s laws, problems which haven’t truly died down since then, shown by the upsurge of problems in the past 2 weeks.
Unlike then, now the problems are more focused on just Polish people in general, with proclamations that state the Polish people are basically anti-Semites who are raised to be this way.
It’s shrouded by claims regarding the Second World War, but we all can notice this message throughout what is said.
And the statements of Yisrael Katz – the source of today’s problems – about Poland are not even new, as Israelis of the past have made similar, and the same, statements.
There is, however, a notable difference between those times and now, the fact that anti-Semitism in Poland today is not growing in numbers, but decreasing.
When I am completely honest, though, the problem of many Israelis and fellow Jews not knowing facts is not new. After all, most of my Israeli friends note the rising amount of support towards Russia in Israel, even though the fact about Israeli-Russian relations is that Russia openly opposes Israel at every turn. Just take a look at the votes about Israel at the United Nations if you need proof of what I am saying now. Let alone the fact that Russia’s allies are Israel’s enemies, and the other way around. If facts truly reigned in Israel, Russia would be opposed by the same Israelis and fellow Jews who oppose Poland, but this is not the case.
Which is the scary part I personally see in this whole situation, that this doesn’t seem like an opposition of Poland because of support towards Israel, but rather an opposition of Poland because of support towards Russia. Let’s not forget, Poland is actually an enemy of Russia. On top of that comes that it are not just the Polish people who are targetted by these Israeli claims. People like myself, Ukrainians, are also among the ones who are targeted by hateful claims. And just like is the case in Poland, anti-Semitism in Ukraine was decreasing before the proclamations started. While at the same time, also Ukraine is an enemy of Russia, just like Poland. Which is hardly a secret with the ongoing conflict/war between Ukraine and Russia.
And it doesn’t actually stop there. As while these acts of hatred towards countries like Poland are ongoing, there is less awareness of the actual acts of anti-Semitism that happen around the world. As has been noted on the Twitter accounts of several Israeli diplomats, there are countries where anti-Semitism is actually rising quickly, like France, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The facts about Poland go back to the Second World War, a time which can no longer be changed, while these other countries experience something which can be countered today…
And you might wonder why there is not as much attention of the Israelis and fellow Jews who are targetting countries like Poland. Well, I can only note that most of those Israelis actually come from the same countries where anti-Semitism is rising in numbers, and the fellow Jews live in these countries at this moment in time. While many of these Israelis have moved towards Israel, they probably have still their origin countries in their hearts. Which is fine, but it doesn’t justify the hatred they share. In fact, it only opposes it. As they aren’t just targeting Poles, Ukrainians, and those of other nationalities, they are also targeting the Jews who live in these countries. And beyond just that, they are causing anti-Semitism to rise.
Besides, they themselves are the ones who don’t acknowledge facts. As if they did, they wouldn’t be fighting Poland during these times, they would be fighting their own origin countries. But, as I already said, these countries are probably in their hearts, just like we all have our countries in our hearts.
Personally, I can only admit I feel saddened by the ongoing situation, as those who oppose Poland are not aware that they are causing what they are proclaiming to fight.
Yes, anti-Semitism has been a problem in Poland, but it’s not like they are special when it comes to that, anti-Semitism used to reign in most of Europe and Asia.
Besides of that, they are desecrating the memories of the Jewish people who had their families saved by the Poles, which includes myself.
I could spend a lot of words regarding the situation, and why the statements aren’t factual, but I won’t. I will keep true to what both my Polish and Israeli friends have said to me, “it’s not worth trying to make people aware of it, as they are just not willing to listen to what’s truth and reality”.
Hopefully the next generations bring to both Poland and Israel which the previous are opposing, as both countries and their people deserve the end of this unjustified spread of hatred…
