OSWIECIM, POLAND – Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Polish President Andrzej Duda met Thursday morning at the gates of Auschwitz for a special diplomatic event marking 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp.
The two presidents toured the Jewish Pavilion (Block 27), signed the Book of Names, and met with a joint delegation of Israeli and Polish youth participating in this year’s March of the Living.
Never again to hatred, never again to antisemitism
In a public address, President Duda emphasized the moral imperative to confront bigotry: “We must never remain silent in the face of racial or ethnic hatred,” he said. “Silence can ultimately lead to what happened here in Auschwitz. We are here to say: never again—never again to hate, never again to discrimination, never again to antisemitism.”
President Herzog echoed the call, stating: “Even after the Holocaust, we swore ‘Never Again.’ But today, as we stand here, the souls of dozens of Jews cry out once again from captivity—thirsting for water and for freedom.”
He added that returning the Israeli hostages held by Hamas is “a moral imperative for all humanity.”
Shared commitment to memory, peace, and justice
The two leaders also discussed rising global antisemitism, the Iranian threat, and the ongoing war in Gaza that erupted following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
Duda expressed hope for a swift end to the conflict and the safe return of the hostages. Herzog, noting that both he and his wife are descendants of Polish Jews, thanked Poland for standing by Israel’s right to self-defense. The presidents agreed to strengthen educational and youth exchange initiatives between the two countries and concluded their visit with a joint pledge to fight hatred and historical amnesia in pursuit of a better future.
