US urges Poland to drop Holocaust bill angering Israel

FYI.

– US urges Poland to drop Holocaust bill angering Israel:

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The United States asked Poland to rethink plans to enact proposed legislation regulating Holocaust speech that has sparked a diplomatic dispute with Israel, arguing Wednesday that if it passes it could hurt freedom of speech as well as strategic relationships.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Neather Nauert voiced her government’s concerns as the Polish Senate was preparing to approve the bill, a step that would put it closer to becoming law. The measure would next need to be signed into law by the president, who supports it.

Poland’s conservative ruling Law and Justice party authored the bill, which calls for up to three years in prison for any intentional attempt to falsely attribute the crimes of Nazi Germany to the Polish state or people.

Law and Justice says it is fighting against the use of phrases like “Polish death camps” to refer to death camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II. Israel, however, sees the move as an attempt to whitewash the role some Poles played in the killing of Jews during World War II.

Nauert said the U.S. understands that phrases like “Polish death camps” are “inaccurate, misleading, and hurtful” but voiced concern the legislation could “undermine free speech and academic discourse.”

…

H/t reader eric:

“Bring in the heavy mob.

It does seem Poland is the only country in the EU with balls.”

* * *

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP