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There are three main actors
There are three main layers in this drama unfolding and which must be discussed separately: the interests of the two countries involved, the role of the three main actors and the historical truth.
There are three main stages in this drama: the decision of Poland to pbad a law that could turn an honest discussion about the Holocaust into a crime, negotiation and agreement that have allowed the cancellation of this law, and the consequences – that is to say the tragedy of the last week.
At the beginning of the year, Poland pbaded a bill banning anything that could be construed as a blame for crimes committed during the Holocaust. The answer was harsh: the law was rightly considered as an attempt to silence any research that exposes the extent to which the Poles participated in the persecution of the Jews. A diplomatic crisis with Israel ensued. It was a crisis that both countries, which have mutually beneficial relationships, did not seek nor wanted. A ladder was needed so that both could go down and return to work as usual.
Following the negotiation, an agreement was concluded. The law would be eliminated; Israel and Poland would issue a statement. The statement says many things – some more specific than others. Among them, for example, "the structures of the Polish underground state supervised by the Polish government in exile created a mechanism for systematic help and support to the Jewish people". Historians of Yad Vashem, Holocaust Memorial Museum in Israel, argue that "A narrative that research has long since refuted." They severely criticized the joint statement, because of that and other untruths, and were joined in their criticism by some Israeli politicians.
Remember, we have three players. The Polish government does not care. He delivered to Israel what Israel required (a repeal of the law) and got what he wanted back (a whitewashed version of the historical events). The Israeli government is embarrbaded. His supposed accomplishment – the repair of relations with an ally – has become a fiasco. Historians are indignant (because of the statement) and dismayed (because they have not been consulted).
Remember, we also have three layers.
Layer One – Interests of Countries: Interest – Remedy Relationships. Completed. Interest – Remedy relationships amidst certain political realities. This means that neither Poland nor Israel were able to get everything they wanted from the negotiation. So, at one point, a decision had to be made on the basis of one question: is the agreement good enough for Israel (and Poland) to sign it? Pretty good means not perfect, not what we wanted, not what we would sign in an ideal world. Well, was that enough? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that was the case. He decided to compromise on the past to preserve the present.
A ladder was needed so that Israel and Poland could go down and return to business as usual.
Layer Two – The Role of Players: Here, it is important to remember that people have roles. Prime ministers make history. Historians do research. Premiers can, if they wish, consult with historians. But they do not have to do it. Premiers can, if they wish, accept the advice of historians. They may also ignore their advice or accept parts of it and ignore other parties. That's what Netanyahu did. That's what it should do, if the country's interest demands it.
Third layer – The historical truth: It is, of course, important for us to know that Poles (as citizens of many other European countries) actively participated in the hunt for Jews, the death of Jews and theft of their property. Historians must defend their ability to expose these actions. Israel must also defend it, with a warning. He has to defend him among other things that he has to defend. In other words, for historians, the main interest is to take care of the historical truth. For a country, historical truth is an interest, relations with Poland are another interest.
Is one more important than the other? Balancing both is important. Maybe Netanyahu has not managed to find the right balance; or maybe he managed to find the right balance. As long as we remember what we are looking for, it's a balance; as long as we remember that prime ministers are not elected to defend a truth, but rather to defend a country; the debate can continue.
Shmuel Rosner is political editor. For more badysis of Israeli and international politics, visit Rosner Domain at jewishjournal.com/rosnersdomain.
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