17/5/2006- Poland's president today assured the Israeli ambassador that anti-Semitism has "no chance" in Poland, responding to Jewish anxieties over a new coalition that includes a nationalist party with a far-right youth wing, the presidential office said. President Lech Kaczynski met with Israeli Ambassador David Peleg this afternoon to address concerns over the coalition with the League of Polish Families, a nationalist and Catholic party with the radical, right-wing All-Polish Youth group. "Mr Kaczynski guaranteed that there is no space for anti-Semitism in Poland," Andrzej Krawczyk, the president's under-secretary of state, said. All-Polish Youth members have been known to make Nazi salutes and chant "Sieg Heil" during street protests. The group also has attacked gay and women's rights marches in past years. Kaczynski assured Peleg that he, his office and his governing Law and Justice party were guarantees that "anti-Semitism in Poland has no chance," the presidential office said in a statement. Law and Justice sealed a coalition May 5 with the League, and another small party, Self-Defence, that gives it a majority in parliament.
© Ireland on-line http://home.iol.ie/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ANTI-SEMITE APPOINTED EDUCATION MINISTER (Poland)
Israeli Foreign Ministry weighing individual boycott on Roman Giertych, a Polish anti-Semite nationalist who was appointed Poland's vice premier and education minister; Giertych to be responsible for Holocaust awareness, fighting anti-Semitism
17/5/2006- The Israeli Foreign Ministry is considering imposing an individual boycott on Roman Giertych, a Polish anti-Semite nationalist who was appointed Poland's vice premier and Education Minister. Recently the Polish Families League party, headed by Giertych joined the Polish coalition. As Education Minister, Giertych will be responsible for increasing awareness of the Holocaust, fighting anti-Semitism and making arrangements for visits by Israeli students to Nazi death camps in Poland. The Polish Families League (PFL) is a marginal Catholic-nationalist party that presents itself as the political and ideological heir of the large anti-Jewish party that operated in Poland between the two world wars. The Polish gay and lesbian community will also face a tough battle as a result of the new coalition with the PFL. An official in Poland said in response to the appointment, "Poland is a very friendly country, but Israel can not remain indifferent."
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