Polish parliament member Konrad Berkowicz displayed the Nazi swastika at the Sejm (“parliament”).
He claimed Israel is responsible for a death rate of Gaza children “greater by the dozens” than the death rate of children in Ukraine during the ongoing Russian invasion.
“Israel is the new Third Reich,” Berkowicz said, and unfurled a blue-and-white flag with the Star of David replaced by the Nazi symbol.
His actions were swiftly condemned by the House Speaker and other parliament members present. Under Polish law, the display of Nazi symbols is a crime, and so is publicly offending another nation’s flag.
The Israeli embassy in Poland urged Polish authorities to “address this disgrace.” As Holocaust survivors march in Auschwitz today, this vile anti-Jewish act is especially appalling,” it stated on social media.
The European Jewish Congress condemned the act as a clear example of Holocaust inversion, distorting the memory of the Shoah and trivialising its victims. It said the use of Nazi symbolism in this context is not only offensive but constitutes a serious antisemitic provocation, particularly on a day dedicated to remembrance.
The organisation strongly condemned the incident, calling it unacceptable in any setting and especially within a democratic institution, and urged a clear and firm response from the relevant authorities. It stressed that preserving the integrity of Holocaust remembrance and ensuring antisemitism is not tolerated in public institutions is essential.
