Warsaw’s words spark fury in Jerusalem over Gaza allegations Polish envoy summoned to Israeli MFA

The Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned Poland’s ambassador to Israel, Maciej Hunia, on August 5 for an official reprimand following controversial comments made by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who accused Israeli politicians of contributing to starvation in Gaza.

According to the ministry's statement, quoted by Israeli media, Hunia was summoned for a formal demarche led by the head of the Political-Strategic Division, who condemned Tusk’s remarks as unacceptable. The ministry firmly rejected the Polish prime minister’s accusations, stating that such language distorts historical truth and disrespects the memory of Holocaust victims.

During the meeting, the Israeli official emphasised that Israel is currently engaged in a war against a terrorist organisation — Hamas — that openly seeks the extermination of Jews and the destruction of the State of Israel.

The official also stressed that Israel is acting in accordance with international humanitarian law and has significantly scaled up humanitarian operations in Gaza. These efforts include allowing more aid convoys into the enclave, implementing humanitarian pauses, creating secure corridors for aid distribution, conducting infrastructure repairs, and organising airdrops of essential supplies, often in coordination with the European Union.

The diplomatic tension was triggered by a statement Tusk made on August 3 on the social media platform X, where he reiterated Poland’s support for Israel in its struggle against Islamic terrorism but drew a line at the actions of Israeli leaders that, in his view, result in the suffering of civilians.

Tusk wrote that Poland “was, is, and will be on Israel’s side in its confrontation with Islamic terrorism, but never on the side of politicians whose actions lead to hunger and the death of mothers and children.” He also referred to the shared wartime experience of Poland and Israel during World War II.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded strongly on August 4, accusing Tusk of inappropriately linking his condemnation of Hamas with critical references to Israeli leadership, while invoking the memory of World War II. The ministry reminded the Polish leader of the moral imperative embodied in the phrase “Never Again,” associated with Holocaust remembrance.

In a pointed follow-up, the ministry said, “Never Again... applies to our era’s new Nazis and their collaborators — Hamas. Israel acts within international law. When Poland is threatened, you don’t take risks either.”

By Tamilla Hasanova