Poland cancels Israeli visit over fears looted Jewish property would have to be returned

Foreign Ministry claims ‘Israeli side made last-minute changes in the composition of the delegation’

Thousands of protesters marched in Warsaw over the returning of Jewish property (AP)

Poland has cancelled a visit by an Israeli delegation over suggestions it would focus on the issue of returning former Jewish property.

The delegation was due to be headed by Avi Cohen-Scali, director general of the Israeli Ministry for Social Equality, and was scheduled for Monday.

Poland’s Foreign Ministry announced the cancellation on Sunday and claimed “the Israeli side made last-minute changes in the composition of the delegation suggesting that the talks would primarily focus on the issues related to property restitution”.

Former Jewish property in Poland has emerged as an emotional issue during campaigning ahead of European parliament elections this month and national elections later this year.

Poland was once home to 3.3 million Jews, but most were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust and their properties were often looted and later nationalised by the communist regime.

Some Jewish organisations have been seeking restitution of former Jewish properties.

On Saturday, thousands of nationalists marched in Warsaw to the US Embassy to protest American pressure on Poland to settle the outstanding matter of unpaid restitution.

The protest took place amid a dramatic rise in antisemitic hate speech in Poland and it appeared to be one of the largest anti-Jewish street demonstrations in recent times.

It also comes as far-right groups are gaining in popularity, pressuring the conservative government to move further to the right.

Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, suffering extensive material losses, and those protesting argue it is not fair to ask Poland to compensate Jewish victims when Poland has never received adequate compensation from Germany.

Poland is the only EU country that has not passed legislation regulating the compensation or restitution of property lost as a result of the war and communism. A string of governments have said it cannot afford to do so.

Poland’s right-wing government had been vowing to make demands on Germany and saying it would not pay any compensation for Jewish claims.

Additional reporting by Associated Press