Poland’s president invited to Israel amid row over WWII

WARSAW, Poland — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Monday invited his Polish counterpart for talks in Jerusalem aimed to boost bilateral relations following tensions over Poland’s World War II history.

Rivlin spoke in southern Poland during observances of the 75th anniversary of the liberation by the Soviet Red Army of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp that Nazi Germany operated in occupied Poland.

He said the centuries-long bond between Poles and Jews, including the Holocaust, is one that “looks to the future from an unshakable commitment to the memory of the facts of the past.”

Bilateral ties have been clouded by disputes over the Holocaust narrative and by an international Auschwitz-Birkeanu anniversary forum organized by a private foundation in Jerusalem last week, which some saw as belittling Poland’s role in fighting the Nazis.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who previously tried to place some blame on Poland for the war’s outbreak, was given prominence at that anniversary forum. Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, who was not offered a slot to speak in Jerusalem, boycotted the ceremony.

“We reach out to the Polish people today and ask to once again work together to form the futures of the next generatio n, respecting history and inspired by values of peace, justice, tolerance and partnership,” Rivlin said.

He added that he invited Duda to Jerusalem for “discussions that will strengthen our relations and the important cooperation between our countries.”