2019-05-15 11:04 update: 2019-05-21, 16:28
Marek Magierowski Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell
Poland's Ambassador to Israel, Marek Magierowski, was attacked outside the Polish Embassy in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. The incident was reported to the Israeli Police and Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry.
According to The Jerusalem Post daily, Ambassador Magierowski, who was standing outside the Polish Embassy, was approached by a man who started physically and verbally assaulting him. The attacker spat at the ambassador who was not able to understand the words his attacker said except for "Polish, Polish", the JPost wrote, citing the diplomat's account.
The Polish Embassy immediately filed a complaint with the Israeli Police, while Magierowski filed a complaint with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A 65-year-old man detained in connection with the assault was placed under house arrest on Wednesday, the Israeli police said on Wednesday. The suspect is not permitted to be in the vicinity of the Polish embassy in Tel Aviv for 30 days, they added. The lawyer of the man suspected of assault said that his client on Tuesday was asked to leave the Polish embassy in Tel Aviv after he inquired about matters involving the return of Jewish property in Poland.
Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki said the racist attack on the Polish ambassador is an unacceptable situation. "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," Morawiecki tweeted in English.
"The racist attack on the Polish ambassador in Israel, Marek Magierowski, is an unacceptable situation, and there is no consent on any acts of xenophobia, both towards diplomats and other citizens," the Prime Minister wrote in a following post in the Polish language.
Meanwhile, head of the PM's Office Michał Dworczyk said the Polish government expects that the perpetrator of the attack on the Polish ambassador in Israel Marek Magierowski will be punished.
Dworczyk said at a briefing in the Sejm (lower house) that "it's hard to resist the impression that, in recent days, an underhanded game has been conducted around issues" regarding property restitution.
"Various milieus are trying, in this final heated phase of the political campaign, to cynically take advantage of this matter, both in our country and in the international forum. Yesterday, the Polish ambassador in Tel Aviv was attacked. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands an explanation, the Polish government expects the perpetrator of this attack to be punished," stressed Dworczyk.
Following the attack, the Polish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday summoned Israeli Ambassador to Poland Anna Azari, the ministry's spokesperson, Ewa Suwara said. She added that following the attack the Foreign Ministry appealed to the Israeli side to protect the lives and welfare of Polish diplomats in accordance with applicable international law.
Emmanuel Nahshon, a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter that the Jewish state was shocked by the attack. "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 tweeted.
The Israeli Embassy in Warsaw in a statement published on the Embassy's Twitter account, Israeli Ambassador Anna Azari wrote that she was very sorry to learn about Tuesday's incident, in which the Polish diplomat was attacked. "I strongly oppose and condemn such acts of violence," she stressed. She also praised the efforts of the Israeli police in the quick apprehension of the perpetrator. "I believe that this isolated incident will not overshadow what is positive in Israeli-Polish relations," she added.
Azari said she hopes that Magierowski, during his mission, will "continue to build bridges between people of good will in Israel and Poland." On Tuesday, she contacted the Polish ambassador to express her indignation at the attack.
The Jerusalem Post noted that the attack on the Polish ambassador came amid a diplomatic spat between Poland and Israel. This week, the Polish Foreign Ministry cancelled a Monday-scheduled visit of an Israeli delegation to Warsaw, to be headed by the Director General of the Israeli Ministry for Social Equality Avi Cohen-Scali.
The Polish foreign minister admitted that the visit of Israeli officials was cancelled after the Israeli side made last minute changes to the composition of the delegation, suggesting that the talks would primarily focus on issues related to property restitution. (PAP)
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