Another anti-Jewish petition

There was a petition online calling on the MKiDN to suspend cooperation with Israeli institutions and individuals, “who do not argue Israel's policy”. The paper was signed, among others, by Danuta Kuroń, actor Julia Kamińska (ambasador of the Zonkile Action organized by the Polin Museum), translator Adam Lipszyc, philosopher Andrzej Leder or prof. Jacek Leociak.

“The policy of Israel present raises valid associations with the politics of the worst genocidal regimes known from history. We believe that all form of cooperation with the cultural institutions of this country present is simply a disgrace to Polish culture" – wrote the petition. The authors of the paper mention “genocide” and “apartheid”, which they believe “there is no doubt.”

The petition was signed by writers – Wojciech Chmielarz, Artur Domosławski, Olga Gitkiewicz, Sylwia Chutnik, Hank Grupińska, Kinga Dunin, persons associated with the theatre – Paweł Demirski, Maciej Nowak, Joanna Rączyńska and museum workers, journalists, publishers.

This is not the first petition in Israel or Jews. In December 2024, a list of people appeared on the network for whom “the memory of the Holocaust is an ethical challenge”. He did not mention a word about Jews murdered and kidnapped on October 7, 2023. He focused on demonizing Israel, utilizing the word “genocide”, although he inactive failed to delegate specified an intention to the Israeli army, and demanded the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu. It was signed by prof. Jacek Leociak, Alina Skibińska and Michał Kowalski – all cooperating with the Center for Holocaust investigation of IFIS PAN Jews. Michał Kowalski was then employed at the judaic Historical Institute, where he works on the permanent exhibition of the Treblinka Museum.

On 4 July 2025, an appeal was issued to the university authorities to reject the definition of anti-Semitism adopted by the IHRA. It was signed by over a 1000 university employees, including prof. Roma Sendyk from the Jagiellonian University (as the only 1 from Poland). Nevertheless, on 11 July 2025, Sendyka was appointed by the Minister of Culture to the global Council of Treblinka. Sendika besides sits on the Board of the Plaszów KL Museum, to which she was appointed in August 2025 by the president of Krakow. We asked about this in the Krakow City Office. “The president of the City of Krakow does not combine the business of the Plaszow Museum (...) with the definition of anti-Semitism IHRA”, Joanna Krzemińska, the spokesperson for the president of Krakow, replied.

In the fall of 2025, representatives of the Warsaw judaic movie Festival cut off from Israelwho declared that they were “deeply touched by the destiny of the Palestinians”. They stressed that the festival is not financed “by organisations related to the Israeli government and another Israeli entities”. The festival besides cut off from Jewish.pl portal. 1 of the creators of the WJFF informed on Facebook about his participation in pro-Palestinian marches. On August 17, 2025, the profile features photos of people carrying banners with inscriptions: “Israel murders children”, “Stop starving Gaza”, “break off relations with Israel”. On September 20, 2025, this individual posted a photograph from the March for Palestine with Palestinian flags and parties Together. Her profile featured photographs of people carrying slogans: “Issrahell burn in hell”, “To break down the wall of the Gaza ghetto”. This individual hosted in May 2026 in the judaic Federation, where she was a talker of 1 of the events.

In January 2026 we wrote that The Polin Museum refused to display the movie “October 8”. 1 of the museum's employees in an interview with Political Critics called Israel's activities in the Gaza Strip “genocide”. The Polin Museum besides faced criticism of the election of the Żonkile Action Ambassadors, as any of them openly supported pro-Palestinian activism.

The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage has so far not officially referred to the latest petition on Israeli institutions and people “who do not argue Israeli politics”.

Katarzyna Grabowska