NEW YORK – The World Jewish Congress was shocked and dismayed to learn that Poland’s ambassador to Israel, Marek Magierowski, was assaulted Tuesday afternoon. The assailant was heard shouting anti-Polish slurs and spat on the ambassador.
In response to the assault, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said: “How appalling that a member of the diplomatic corps should be subjected to such abuse. Ambassador Magierowski is a good man, who has time and again demonstrated his deep commitment to strengthening ties between Israel and Poland, so much so that in the short time that he has been in Israel, he has acquired a formidable command of Hebrew and a great number of friends and admirers. This incident underscores the need for bridge-building between Jews and Poles.”
In a front page article in the Rzeczpospolita, Mr. Lauder emphasized his friendship for and long engagement with Poland, and denounced manifestation of antisemitism in that country. “I know many wonderful people in Poland, and it pains me to think that a message emerging from that country today only serves to reinforce stereotypes and prejudices on both Polish and Jewish streets, that should have been buried long ago,” Lauder wrote. “I hope that the political and religious leaders of Poland will speak out forcefully against all manifestations of anti-Semitism. We cannot allow the ghosts of the past to re-emerge. We cannot allow ghosts from the past to reemerge and to upend everything that our two nations have built over the years.”