The October 7th atrocities committed by Hamas in southern Israel and subsequent Israel war in Gaza have reverberated far beyond the Middle East, prompting nations worldwide to reassess their diplomatic positions. Poland, with its complex historical relationship with both Israeli and Palestinian causes, offers a particularly interesting case study of how domestic politics and international pressures can reshape foreign policy in real time.¹

The Hamas attacks on October 7th, 2023, occurred at a specific moment in Polish politics, just eight days before parliamentary elections that would ultimately shift power from the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party to a left-liberal coalition led by Donald Tusk.⁴ This political transition created a unique dynamic that influenced Poland’s response to the crisis. Initially, Polish officials focused primarily on protecting their own citizens, organising swift evacuation operations from both Israel and Gaza. 

Historical Context: The Foundation of Polish-Israeli Relations

Poland’s relationship with Israel has deep historical roots, shaped by the complex legacy of Polish-Jewish history and the country’s post-communist transition. Following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in 1991, Poland positioned itself as a strong supporter of Israel, viewing this relationship as both a symbol of its democratic transformation and a strategic alignment with Western values¹.

For decades, Poland maintained what officials described as a “balanced stance” on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, supporting both Israel’s security and Palestinian aspirations for statehood. This position aligned with the Middle East Peace Process framework and, following EU accession, with European Union policies². However, the rise of right-wing governments in both Warsaw and Jerusalem between 2015-2023 initially created new common ground, particularly around shared scepticism of EU institutions and Europeanized Middle East policies³.

The Turning Point: “Our People First”

Poland’s initial response to October 7th followed familiar patterns. Officials condemned Hamas’s attacks and expressed solidarity with Israel. But beneath this surface, a different priority emerged: protecting Polish citizens caught in the conflict zone.

The Polish government quickly organised evacuations from Israel, successfully bringing home over 1,500 citizens by mid-October 2023⁴. However, the evacuation of 29 Polish citizens from Gaza proved more complicated, particularly the fate of those dual citizens created first serious tensions between Poland’s and Israeli diplomacy. Among the Hamas hostages was Alex Dancyg, a respected educator and historian who had emigrated from Poland to Israel in 1956⁶. Despite diplomatic efforts coordinated with the American administration, only one Polish-Israeli hostage, Almog Meir Jan, was rescued alive. Dancyg and several others were confirmed dead, highlighting the human cost of the conflict.

The Death of Damian Soból: A Diplomatic Watershed in the Israel–Poland Relationship

A pivotal moment came in April 2024 when Damian Soból, a Polish volunteer with World Central Kitchen, was killed in an Israeli drone strike along with six other aid workers.⁷ The Israeli response to this tragedy, characterised by Polish officials and media as dismissive and lacking in empathy, sparked widespread outrage across the Polish political spectrum.

Israeli Ambassador Yaakov Livne’s handling of the incident, described by Polish President Andrzej Duda as “outrageous”, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk demanded a “full and immediate explanation” along with compensation for Soból’s family, what became a focal point for broader frustrations with Israeli conduct.⁸ The ambassador’s refusal to issue a formal apology and his characterisation of the strike as an “unintentional accident” that “happens during wartime” was seen as deeply insensitive by Polish public opinion.⁹

This incident highlighted a broader pattern of what could be described as distancing, both emotional and diplomatic, of Poland towards Israel. The death of a Polish humanitarian worker in Gaza became symbolic of wider concerns about civilian casualties and adherence to international humanitarian law.

Domestic Reactions: New Voices in Polish Society

For the first time in Polish history, the conflict sparked significant street protests and University’s campus activism. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations drew notably higher turnouts than pro-Israel rallies, while university students at institutions including Jagiellonian University and the University of Warsaw launched occupation strikes under the “Academy for Palestine” movement¹¹. These campus protests represented an unprecedented phenomenon in Polish politics. Students demanded universities sever ties with Israeli academic institutions, and remarkably, received initial support from faculty and university authorities. The Jagiellonian University and University of Wrocław issued statements condemning civilian casualties and expressing empathy for the Palestinian cause, a level of institutional legitimisation previously unseen in Polish academic discourse¹².

Public opinion reflected this shift. By April 2024, polling showed that while 66.7% of Poles preferred neutrality, only 6% supported Israel compared to 10.9% backing Palestinians, a figure that rose to 20% among those aged 40-49¹³. This marked a significant departure from Poland’s historically pro-Israel public sentiment.

Government Transition and Policy Realignment

The change in government from PiS to Tusk’s coalition marked a clear shift in Poland’s international orientation. While maintaining official continuity in Middle East policy, the new government under Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski adopted a more explicitly pro-European stance, emphasising multilateralism and adherence to international law. This shift was most visible in Poland’s UN voting patterns. Historically, Poland often abstained on key votes regarding Palestinian statehood and rights, reflecting its desire to balance competing pressures. However, in May 2024, Poland supported a UN General Assembly resolution expanding Palestine’s rights in the United Nations, a move that drew sharp criticism from Israeli officials but aligned Poland more closely with broader EU positions.¹²

The Ukrainian Connection: Parallel Narratives

Poland’s response to the Gaza conflict cannot be understood in isolation from the war in Ukraine. As one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, Poland has emphasised the importance of international law, civilian protection, and the right to self-determination, principles that naturally extend to its views on Palestinian issues.

Many Polish observers have drawn parallels between civilian suffering in Gaza and in Ukraine, reinforcing public sympathy for non-combatants caught in conflict zones. This connection has been strengthened by Israeli reluctance to provide military support to Ukraine, which some Polish officials view as insufficiently supportive of a fellow democracy under attack.

Looking Forward: Permanent Shift or Temporary Adjustment?

The question remains whether Poland’s current ‘distancing’ from Israel represents a fundamental realignment or a temporary response to specific circumstances. Several factors suggest the shift may not be permanent:

Stabilizing Factors:

• Poland’s continued commitment to transatlantic security relationships
• Deep cultural and historical connections between Polish and Jewish communities
• Strategic considerations regarding US-Poland relations under changing American administrations

Change Drivers:

• Growing public criticism of Israeli conduct in Gaza
• Stronger alignment with EU foreign policy positions
• Generational changes in Polish society and politics

The Path Ahead

Poland’s evolving position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reflects broader trends in European politics, where traditional post-Holocaust solidarity with Israel increasingly competes with concerns about Palestinian rights and international law. The Polish case demonstrates how historical relationships, domestic politics, and international pressures can interact in complex ways to reshape foreign policy.

As the conflict continues and regional dynamics evolve, Poland will likely continue to balance its historical commitments with contemporary political realities. The country’s experience suggests that even long-standing diplomatic relationships can be subject to significant recalibration when domestic and international pressures align.

The ultimate direction of Polish-Israeli relations will depend on how both countries navigate their current differences and whether they can find common ground on issues of mutual concern. For now, Poland appears committed to a more independent, multilateral approach to Middle Eastern diplomacy, one that prioritises international law and civilian protection over traditional alliance patterns.

This evolution in Polish foreign policy offers important insights into how European nations are adapting their Middle East strategies in response to changing public opinion, governmental transitions, and evolving international norms. As such, Poland’s experience may provide a preview of broader shifts in European approaches to one of the world’s most enduring conflicts.

Photo: Human Rights Watch

Footnotes:

¹ This analysis is based on research by Joanna Dyduch from the Institute of the Middle and Far East at Jagiellonian University, examining Poland’s policy responses to the October 7th attacks and their aftermath. See more: J. Dyduch (2025). Poland’s Attitudes and Policy Towards Israel and Palestine after October 7th: Continuity and Change. Czech Journal of International Relations. https://cjir.iir.cz/index.php/cjir/article/view/1892 

² The complex Polish-Jewish historical relationship significantly influenced Poland’s post-1989 approach to Israel, viewing it primarily as a Jewish state (Mahla, 2016).

³ Poland established diplomatic ties with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1988 and maintained these relationships after the Cold War, seeking to balance support for both Israeli security and Palestinian national aspirations.

⁴ The October 15, 2023 parliamentary elections resulted in Donald Tusk becoming Prime Minister and Radosław Sikorski assuming the role of Foreign Minister in mid-December 2023.

⁵ Poland organized one of the first state-sponsored evacuation operations, successfully evacuating 1,504 Polish citizens from Israel by mid-October 2023.

⁶ Of 29 Polish citizens requesting evacuation from Gaza, only 18 were successfully evacuated on November 12, 2023, with the remaining 11 Polish citizens of Palestinian origin blocked by Israeli authorities from leaving.

⁷ Damian Soból was killed alongside six other World Central Kitchen aid workers in an Israeli drone strike on April 1, 2024, in Gaza.

⁸ President Andrzej Duda called Ambassador Livne’s comments “outrageous” and stated that the ambassador had become “the biggest problem for Israel in relations with Poland.”

⁹ The incident led to the Israeli ambassador being summoned to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and resulted in Poland signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission in June 2024.

¹⁰ Student protests occurred at multiple universities including Jagiellonian University in Krakow, the University of Warsaw, and the University of Wroclaw, with some receiving institutional acknowledgment from university authorities.

¹¹ Public opinion polling conducted in April 2024 showed a significant shift in Polish attitudes, with support for Israel dropping to just 6% compared to 10.9% supporting Palestinians and 66.7% favoring neutrality.

¹² Poland’s support for the UN resolution marked a departure from its historical pattern of abstaining on key Palestinian-related votes, including Palestine’s UNESCO membership in 2011 and the 2012 UN General Assembly vote on upgrading Palestine’s status.