Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work!

Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Poland says that it can “serve as an example” for Western countries now considering recognising Palestine as a state, given that it has itself done so for almost four decades. It has also announced an increase in aid for Palestinians.

In recent days, France, the UK and Canada have all declared willingness to recognise Palestinian statehood under certain conditions. On Wednesday, France led a group of 14 Western countries in calling at the UN for recognition of the state of Palestine.

In response, Polish foreign ministry spokesman, Paweł Wroński, told Polskie Radio that “Poland can serve as an example when it comes to recognising the independence of the Palestinian state”.

“Poland is among those European countries that recognise Palestine. It did so in 1988,” he added, noting that Poland hosts a Palestinian ambassador. Wroński emphasised, however, that Warsaw supports a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine co-existing.

Poland is one of ten EU countries that recognise Palestine. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary and Romania also did so in 1988, followed by Slovakia in 1993, Sweden in 2014, then Spain, Ireland and Slovenia in 2024.

Israel has not responded to Wroński’s remarks. However, last year, its ambassador to Warsaw condemned Poland’s support for Palestinian membership of the UN, calling it a “dangerous precedent of rewarding the aggressor”.

Last week, Israel welcomed Poland’s new ambassador, the first since a diplomatic dispute in 2021. He has previously called on the world to “support Israel in its fight against terrorists” and has rejected claims of genocide in Gaza.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday this week, Wroński also told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that Poland is pledging an additional $1 million of support towards UN aid for Palestinians. He noted that Warsaw had given 17.6 million zloty ($4.7 million) in total last year.

The spokesman said he was pleased that Israel has introduced “tactical pauses” to allow aid into Gaza following an appeal on 21 July by Poland and 24 other countries.

“We only emphasise that it is still too late and too little, and we point out to Israel that the situation in Gaza, especially the situation of the civilian population, is unacceptable in the 21st century,” added Wroński.


Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: Ahmed Abu Hameeda/Unsplash

Pin It on Pinterest

Support us!