The Foreign Ministry on Monday unveiled a monument honoring 36 diplomats from 21 countries whom the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum has recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for their efforts to save Jews during World War II.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dedicated the site, noting that "the truth about the Holocaust must always be studied. It must always be remembered."
While Netanyahu did not comment on the crisis with Poland over a bill that would make using phrases like "Polish death camps" punishable by up to three years in prison, he said, "Israel works closely with our partners around the world to defend and reveal the truth about the Holocaust. We expect to do that with every country, including Poland."
"Above all, future generations must internalize the lessons of the Holocaust," he went on to say. "I think the most important lesson for all humanity is that hatred, extreme ideologies, these must always be confronted early when there is time to nip them at the bud."
"We Jews have learned to believe our enemies when they call for our annihilation. We have learned that we must be able to defend ourselves by ourselves against any potential threat. The State of Israel not only has internalized these lessons, it practices it," Netanyahu said.
"We hold our hand out to peace for any of our neighbors, who wish peace with us, and there are quite a few, and their number is growing, I'm happy to say, and I hope it will extend to all," Netanyahu continued. "But we are forever conscious of the danger to us and to the rest of mankind of those who want to exterminate us, ultimately they exterminate the world we all want to keep and cherish."
"In my people's darkest hour, a few noble men and women bucked their superiors to save Jewish lives. This plaque that we dedicate today recognizes these brave diplomats, who acted by the dictates of their conscience without regard for personal and professional consequence. Israel saluted them. We shall forever honor their memory," he said.
Also on Monday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that the controversial bill was already "a matter of reality" and that his parliament has no plans to change it. He stressed the legislation did not seek to "whitewash history."
"The response of our friends in Israel is serious and I take it seriously," Morawiecki told the Hadashot evening news. "The real intention of the bill is not to ban statements about crimes committed by individuals during World War II."
Commenting on the wording of the bill, he added that while the legislative process was coordinated with the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw, it was lacking.
On Tuesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced that he plans to sign the bill into law.
