Israeli leaders express sorrow over death of Polish president; call Kaczynski a “great friend”

Israel grieves over death of Polish president

JERUSALEM — Israel’s leaders on Sunday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, calling him a true friend of the Jewish people and praising his efforts to heal the scars of the Holocaust.

The Nazis erected their major death camps on occupied Polish soil — killing more than 3 million Jews, most of them from Poland. That strained Polish-Israeli relations after World War II.

In recent years, ties improved dramatically and Israel considered the Kaczynski-led Poland to be among its staunchest European allies.

Kaczynski, who died in plane crash in Russia Saturday, developed strong ties with Israel. He visited Israel’s national Holocaust memorial twice, beefed up military ties and was a firm friend of Poland’s Jewish community.

His death had special resonance in Israel as it came on the eve of its annual Holocaust Memorial Day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened his weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday by eulogizing Kaczynski and calling him “a great friend of the state of Israel.”

Israel’s president, defense minister and foreign minister all issued statements of sadness.

Israel’s national Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem, expressed “deep sorrow” and praised Kaczynski’s commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust.

The outpouring of grief was not limited to leaders. Ordinary Israelis flocked to the Polish Embassy in Tel Aviv to light candles and lay flowers.

Kaczynski was leading a delegation headed to Russia to honor Polish officers killed there in World War II. Many of Poland’s elite died in the crash, including its military chief.

Israel’s military chief Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi called his Polish counterpart, Gen. Franciszek Gagor, “an amazing military man.” Ashkenazi said he was impressed by Gagor’s efforts to teach young officers about the Holocaust, and to introduce Israeli and Polish soldiers to one another.

The annual March of the Living — when thousands of young Jews and elderly Holocaust survivors march at the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz — is scheduled for Monday. Organizers said the program would begin with a tribute to the Polish leader.

Poland’s Jewish community, now tiny after being nearly wiped out in the Holocaust, planned a special prayer service in Warsaw’s main synagogue Sunday afternoon. In 2008, Kaczynski became the first Polish head of state to attend a religious service at a synagogue there.

Associated Press Writer Vanessa Gera contributed to this report from Warsaw, Poland.