Campaigners for Palestinian human rights on february 24 th picketed the Polish embassy in London in protest at the Polish government’s high-level meeting with Israel in Jerusalem.
Banners reading ‘Warszawa wie co to okupacja’ (Warsaw knows what occupation means) were displayed outside the embassy and a letter outlining concerns was handed to embassy staff. Embassy staff and Polish citizens visiting the embassy expressed their sympathy with the protest.
The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk led a high level delegation to a meeting attended by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu and other senior Israeli officials.
The meeting took place in Jerusalem, a city Israel claims to be its ‘undivided capital’ but the Eastern part of which is recognised as occupied Palestinian territory. Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem have faced an escalation of the state-sanctioned campaign of ethnic cleansing against them in recent months. Nearly all countries recognise Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel, not Jerusalem.
London resident Bruce L said, “By meeting the Israeli Prime Minister in Jerusalem, Poland has endorsed Israel’s attempts to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from the city.”
“The recent history of relations between Israel and European countries is marked the strengthening of ties on one hand and continued Israeli impunity on the other. Rather than giving the green light to Israeli Apartheid, Poland should instead be supporting Palestinian rights by cancelling the contracts it holds with Israeli companies operating in Poland such as Egged, Eden Springs and Elbit Systems that are complicit with Israeli violations of international law,” he added.
The picket was planned after a call for such actions was issued by Polish activists, who today tied a giant traditional Palestinian scarf (Kuffeyah) around the iconic Palm sculpture in Jerusalem Avenue, central Warsaw.
