Israel and Poland agreed Monday to restore full diplomatic relations, following a year of severed ties.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke Monday with his Polish counterpart, President Andrzej Duda, the president’s office announced Monday afternoon.
In their phone call, the two presidents discussed the promotion of their countries' bilateral relations, and agreed that full diplomatic relations would be restored “to their proper course”, the president’s office said.
Herzog, in a joint initiative with Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid, requested the return of the Polish ambassador to Israel.
President Duda agreed to appoint a new ambassador to Israel soon, and announced that the new Israeli ambassador-designate to Poland will present his letters of credence within the next few days.
Both presidents expressed their hope that any future issues between Poland and Israel will be solved through sincere and open dialogue and in a spirit of mutual respect.
Israel recalled its ambassador to Poland in August, 2021, in protest of Poland’s passage of a law curtailing limiting restitution for Holocaust-related claims.
Days later, Poland recalled its ambassador to Israel.
The row was the latest strain on Israeli-Polish ties, following Poland’s passage of the ‘Holocaust Law’, which banned discussion of Polish collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II.
The law drew heavy criticism from the Israeli government, with the US State Department also expressing opposition to the bill. Polish opposition parties also criticized the law, and proposed to amend the bill.