Israel and East-Central Europe

Abstract

Israel’s policy toward the region of East-Central Europe (ECE) started changing notably from 2004 onward, in response to the European Union (EU) enlargement process. The following years brought a further development of Israel’s position toward the region and substantial changes in Israel’s European policy. This article aims to track this evolution: not only Israel’s position but also the shape as well as the content of bilateral and multilateral relations between Israel and selected ECE states. For the purpose of this analysis, special attention is paid to Israel’s relations with Poland and Hungary, with primary focus on Israel’s approaches and policy orientations. The article argues that while the ideological changes that occurred almost simultaneously in Poland, Israel, and Hungary at first created favorable conditions for the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral relations between all three countries, they soon became a divisive factor and obstacles to cooperation.

Property investment and the making of the ambivalent elective Polish diaspora in Israel

“…Additionally, Poland passed a law that restricts restitution claims for Jewish property confiscated by the Nazis. Although the diplomatic crisis between Israel and Poland was resolved in December 2021, our research was conducted while tensions were high (on the crisis, see Dyduch, 2021).…”

“…Additionally, Poland passed a law that restricts restitution claims for Jewish property confiscated by the Nazis. Although the diplomatic crisis between Israel and Poland was resolved in December 2021, our research was conducted while tensions were high (on the crisis, see Dyduch, 2021). Consequently, accepting the Polish narrative of the Holocaust, as evident in many of our interviews, deviates from mainstream Israeli views, particularly those of Holocaust survivors or their descendants.…”