[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Still believe pigs can fly?]
"Both Governments share the belief that a just and lasting solution to the
Israeli – Palestinian conflict must and can be reached only based on the
principle of two States for two peoples."



Polish-Israeli Intergovernmental Consultations Joint Statement

On 22 November 2016, the Government of the Republic of Poland and the
Government of the State of Israel held for the third time Intergovernmental
Consultations in Jerusalem.

The Prime Minister of the Polish Government, Ms. Beata Szydło, and the Prime
Minister of the Israeli Government, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, note with
satisfaction the friendly relations and the special partnership between the
two Countries, the unreserved mutual support and reciprocal respect for each
other's sovereignty and the shared recognition of the political, security
and economic needs of both Countries.

The Prime Ministers reiterate their objective to strengthen the already
close relations between the Governments and to solidify the unique ties
between the two societies, based on the thousand-year-long relationship
between the Polish and the Jewish people.

The Prime Ministers wish to thank all those who have worked tirelessly to
advance the ties between the two Countries and societies.

The following Government members took part in the consultations:

On the Polish side:

Prime Minister, Ms. Beata Szydło; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Witold
Waszczykowski; Minister of Sport and Tourism Mr. Witold Bańka; Minister of
National Defense, Mr. Antoni Macierewicz; Minister of Family, Labour and
Social Policy, Ms. Elżbieta Rafalska; Undersecretary of State Ministry of
Economic Development, Ms. Jadwiga Emilewicz; Secretary of State, Ministry of
Culture and National Heritage, Mr. Jarosław Sellin; Undersecretary of State,
Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Mr. Piotr Dardziński,
Undersecretary of State, Ministry of National Education, Mr. Maciej Kopeć.
On the Israeli side:

Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu; Minister of Defense, Mr. Avigdor
Lieberman;; Minister of Labour Welfare and Social Services, Mr. Haim Katz;
Minister of Tourism, Mr. Yariv Levin; Deputy Minister of Finance, Industry
and Economy, Mr. Yitzhak Cohen; Director General, Ministry of Economy and
Industry, Mr. Amit Lang; Director General Ministry of Culture and Sport,
Mr. Yossi Sharabi; Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, Chief
Scientist, Prof. Alexander Bligh; Cabinet Secretary Mr. Zachi Braverman.

Foreign Affairs

The Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the State of
Israel share history and common values that are the cornerstone of the
unique ties between the two peoples, based on hundreds of years of common
history. Both Governments are determined to enhance their Strategic
Partnership based on longstanding friendship, shared values and mutual
trust. As the global political, economic and security landscape becomes ever
more complex, joint contribution of Poland and Israel to reinforcing pillars
of the international order based upon our shared values can be of high
value.

Both Governments reaffirm their joint aim to further strengthen bilateral
relations and welcome the growing intensity of the high-level contacts as
well as experts and working level visits with emphasis on bolstering
economic, science & technology, cyber, defense, security and cultural
cooperation.

Both Governments stress their interest to continue holding the
Intergovernmental Consultations with the aim of promoting joint cooperation
and setting new targets in all key areas.

Both Governments emphasize the need to further develop strong relations
between the State of Israel and the European Union and to continue
cooperation in economic, scientific, research and development, regional and
security strategic areas.

In the United Nations and other international organizations, the Republic of
Poland and the State of Israel will jointly promote the values upon which
both States were founded. In that respect, the Government of the Republic of
Poland and the Government of the State of Israel will continue to cooperate
closely.

Both Governments share the belief that a just and lasting solution to the
Israeli – Palestinian conflict must and can be reached only based on the
principle of two States for two peoples.

Both Governments strongly affirm that any challenge to the right of
existence of the State of Israel and calls for its de-legitimization and
boycott are unacceptable.

Both Governments expressed their hope for Israel´s peaceful coexistence with
all its neighbors.

Both Governments reiterate their strong commitment to human rights and to
the fight against all forms of intolerance and racial discrimination,
including anti-Semitism.

Both Governments will take action for the promotion and more active
implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Consultations
between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel signed on December 1,
2004 in Warsaw.

Both Governments will continue regular consultations by Senior Officials of
the Ministries of Foreign Affairs on regional and international issues,
exchange views on matters of mutual concern and promote their bilateral
cooperation in political, economic and trade, scientific and technological,
cultural and other fields.

Both Governments express their willingness to engage in joint development
activities in developing Countries and are ready to strengthen dialogue on
various forms of cooperation in the field of development assistance and
explore possible ways to establish a platform for bilateral development
dialogue.

Defense

The Ministers of Defense will continue to improve existing defense ties and
to foster close cooperation between both Countries. This will be a mutually
beneficial and trustful relationship which is based on true partnership and
operational experience, facilitated further by our respective technological
and industrial infrastructure. The defense institutes will continue their
dialogue and cooperation in the face of shared threats and concerns,
regionally and globally, in order to promote security in a way that will
serve the mutual long-term interests of the Republic of Poland and the State
of Israel.

In this framework, the Ministries of Defense shall continue to work towards
conclusion of a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the Governments,
which will facilitate and resolve legal and logistic aspects of the military
and defense cooperation between the two nations.

The Governments have expressed their satisfaction with the success of
meetings between IDF and officers of the Polish Armed Forces as part of the
“Witnesses in Uniform” and “Friends in Uniform” projects, and have decided
to continue holding these meetings. Regular bilateral visits, as well as the
strategic dialogue between the two Ministries, are highly valued by both
Governments and provide an excellent opportunity for mutual understanding.

Culture and National Heritage

The Governments underlined their commitment to strengthen cultural
activities and initiatives, which will help to further deepen mutual
understanding and cooperation between both societies. They emphasized their
willingness to engage in new ideas and projects which will extend into the
future of the two States.

Innovation, Science and Technology

The Governments appreciate the cooperation in the field of Innovation,
Science and Technology and signify this field as a priority for further
development and as an excellent mean to strengthen friendly bilateral
relations between the scientific and entrepreneurs communities in both
Countries.

The Governments emphasize their intention to encourage cooperation in the
fields of technology Innovation, Science Research, Industrial Research &
Development and to identify new directions and fields of collaboration such
as Agriculture, IT, Cyber security and Healthcare solutions.

Both Governments recognize the successful cooperation that currently exists
in the field of R&D and innovation, based on the non-exclusive cooperation
agreement between NCBR (PL) and the OCS (IL) and declare their intention to
enhance their cooperation.

Space Cooperation

Both governments will explore the possibilities for cooperation in the field
of space.

Economy, Trade, Investments, Tourism and Energy

Both Governments appreciate the intensive economic and trade cooperation
which has been founded on a solid legal and institutional framework. The
trade exchange has been developing positively over the last decade and both
Governments are interested in further increasing the trade volumes during
the upcoming years.

Both Governments are interested in further expanding and diversifying their
trade and investments flows based on their mutual competitive advantages and
strengths.

Both Governments will focus on fostering business friendly environment in
all areas of common interest including incentives for direct investments,
creation of favorable taxation regimes as well as an active approach to
joint new platforms for entrepreneurship and innovation, such as
exhibitions, business forums, seminars and business meetings organized both
in Israel and Poland.

Both Governments confirm their ongoing intention to further encourage the
bilateral agricultural trade with the goal of expanding agricultural
knowledge sharing and trade flows.

The Governments are ready to continue their efforts put to remove existing
administrative and technical barriers to trade respecting International
Agreements the Countries are parties of.

The Governments note the importance of promotion and facilitation of
cooperation and information exchange in the field of advanced energy
technologies, providing a high standard of energy security and resilience of
energy infrastructure to end consumers and reducing energy intensity of both
economies.

Both Governments declared ongoing efforts to enhance their successful
cooperation in these areas and prioritize their efforts to involve Polish
and Israeli businesses and research institutions in the Energy sector.

Recognizing the importance of tourism for development of economic and
cultural relations as well as better understanding of the life, history and
culture of both Countries, the Governments encouraged the expansion and
diversification of Tourism between the Countries and have invited
representatives of their relevant tour operators, hotel entrepreneurs,
airlines and the business community members as well as local authorities to
collaborate in mutual initiatives including the launching of a new tourism
products and further exploration of investment opportunities in
accommodations and hotels.

Cyber Security

The Governments seek to strengthen their cooperation on cyber security and
combatting cyber-crime, and to expand knowledge, understanding and expertise
on cyber security from technological, strategic, social, international and
legal perspectives.

Holocaust Remembrance

In view of the approaching 75th anniversary of the first transport of
victims to the first German death camp in Kulmhof am Ner, marking the
beginning of the 75th Anniversary of ‘Aktion Reinhardt’ and the
Extermination of Polish Jews perpetrated by the German Third Reich, the
Governments declare that, acting within their purviews, they will spare no
efforts to ensure that future generations honor the memory of all the Jews
murdered during ‘Aktion Reinhardt’ – the greatest Nazi German act of
genocide during the Holocaust of European Jews – as well as other victims of
Nazi German crimes. ‘Aktion Reinhardt’ executed with the intention of
killing Jews in occupied Poland, claimed the lives of up to 2 million
people.

The Governments recognize the continued need for comprehensive and
unrestricted research of Holocaust-era events and processes, and support
institutions and individuals that conduct and facilitate such research.

The Governments note with satisfaction the cooperation between Yad Vashem
and other Israeli institutions and Polish institutions concerning Holocaust
education and history of the Jewish and Polish people during the Second
World War. The Governments commend activities aimed at commemorating the
victims of the Holocaust as well as cultivating the memory of the Righteous
among the Nations. In this regard, the Governments welcome the recent
opening of the Museum of Poles Saving Jews during World War Two in Markowa –
the first educational center, devoted solely to document and present the
stories of the Righteous.

The Governments note with satisfaction the decision of the Deputy Prime
Minister of Poland, Minister for Culture and National Heritage Prof. Piotr
Gliński, to fund the project of the establishing of the International Center
for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust in the so-called Old Theatre
building in Oświęcim, as a part of Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum.

The Governments attribute great importance to their dedicated efforts in the
field of education, particularly in eradicating false stereotypes on both
Countries. Both Governments firmly oppose any form of discrimination on
racial grounds and anti-Semitism, as well as any attempts at distorting the
history of the Jewish or Polish peoples by denying or diminishing the
victimhood of the Jews during the Holocaust, or using the erroneous terms of
memory such as “Polish death camps”.

The Governments recognize the great importance of preserving structures and
the authentic exhibits that still remain in the former concentration and
death camps that were built by Nazi Germany in the occupied Poland.

The Governments view favorably the well-developed long-term cooperation
between Yad Vashem and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and other Polish
institutions, specially the recent development of cooperation between Yad
Vashem and POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. Both
Governments stress the importance of advancing relations between the Israeli
and Polish youth based on mutual respect and understanding.

The Governments are committed to support the Jewish exhibition at Block No.
27 in Auschwitz-Birkenau and both Governments will continue to support and
assist combining the Jewish exhibition within the regular route of visitors’
tours at Auschwitz.

Youth Meetings and Education

The Governments will strengthen the programs encouraging youth exchanges
between the two Countries, through the recognition that such mutual youth
exchanges are vital to bolstering the ties between the two peoples.The
Governments express their satisfaction with the youth meetings conducted to
date in the framework of the Closer to Each Other - “Bliżej Siebie”
Programme. .

Both Governments favor the deepening of Israel’s participation in EU
activities in the area of education, and in particular in the programs for
higher education.

Working Holiday Arrangement

The Governments have decided to work swiftly towards launching a Working
Holiday Arrangement and to conclude the negotiations of the Bilateral
Arrangement on that matter. This new Arrangement will allow young people
aged 18 to 30 to spend longer periods of time in the respective States while
supporting themselves through work, and will help enhance the
people-to-people relations between the two States.

Social and Social Security Affairs

The Governments, through their respective Ministers of Social Affairs, have
decided that a mutual cooperation and best practices exchange be made by the
Ministries' senior professional officials. An Agreement between the State of
Israel and the Republic of Poland on Social Security, and the Administrative
Arrangement for the Implementation of the Agreement have been signed.

Conclusion

The Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Prime
Minister of the State of Israel note with satisfaction the success of today’s
Intergovernmental Consultations in Jerusalem, during the course of which
various documents were signed cementing the ongoing cooperation between the
two Countries in the areas discussed at the bilateral meetings between the
Ministers.
___________

H.E. Beata Szydło

Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland

___________________________

H.E. Binyamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister of the State of Israel