Debunking the Myths: A Polish Perspective on Israel’s Founding
Historical Facts and Modern Misconceptions
It's astonishing, really—and slightly exhausting, to be honest—that the tired tale of Jews 'stealing' Israel still gets airtime. As a Polish-born British filmmaker who grew up within an education system that selectively skimmed over entire Holocaust, I've learnt firsthand that ignorance breeds prejudice. That's precisely why my documentary, "Mother of Hate", tackles this very issue. Suggesting Jews from Europe simply rocked up, took over Palestinian land, and displaced peaceful locals is not just misleading; it's complete historical fiction.
In reality, Jews have had a continuous presence in the land of Israel for thousands of years, maintaining deep cultural and historical connections even throughout periods of exile. By the late 1800s, they were already the majority in Jerusalem, legally buying land and coexisting peacefully with Arabs, who at the time largely identified as part of a broader Arab nation rather than as a distinct Palestinian entity.
The turning point came in 1947 when the United Nations proposed the partition of the land into separate Jewish and Arab states. The Jewish leadership, traumatised by the fresh memories of the Holocaust, accepted the plan, while Arab leaders flatly rejected it. Instead of peaceful coexistence, Israel’s declaration of independence on May 14, 1948, was met with a full-scale invasion by Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, whose leaders openly promised to annihilate the fledgling Jewish state.
Many Arabs fled their homes during this conflict, but notably, they were encouraged to do so by their own leadership, with promises of returning after the anticipated destruction of Israel. That return never materialised—not due to Jewish aggression, but because of Arab hostility towards Jews.
Contrary to the claim of colonialism, Israel's founding documents explicitly invited Arabs to stay and become equal citizens of the new state. Many accepted this offer, and today over 20% of Israel's population are Arab citizens, enjoying rights and freedoms unmatched in most of the Middle East. Consider, for instance, LGBTQ+ rights: Israel hosts one of the world's largest pride parades, protects LGBTQ+ communities, and recognises transgender rights, while in Gaza and many neighbouring Arab countries, LGBTQ+ individuals face severe persecution, imprisonment, or even execution. The apartheid myth quickly crumbles when faced with the vibrant reality of Arab representation and freedom in Israel, a stark contrast to oppressive policies towards minorities across the region.
Moreover, the supposed indigenous "Palestinian identity” was largely a political construct emerging in the 20th century, strategically devised to delegitimise Jewish historical ties to the land. Arabs in the region historically identified with larger entities like Syria or Jordan, and the modern narrative of Palestinian nationhood is a recent invention, not a timeless truth.
It’s crucial, too, to remember the longstanding historical hostility towards Jews in the region. Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, infamously collaborated with Hitler during World War II, promoting the extermination of Jews. Arab hostility to Jewish sovereignty predates the founding of Israel and has perpetuated the conflict ever since.
Understanding this history clearly shows that Israel’s creation was never a colonial enterprise but the restoration of an ancient bond between a people and their ancestral land. The displacement in 1948 was driven by Arab rejectionism, not Jewish aggression. The continued refusal to accept even a tiny Jewish state amidst a vast Arab region underscores the conflict's true nature—a rejection of coexistence.
Acknowledging these facts isn't just about correcting history; it’s about countering the harmful myths fuelling today’s anti-Israel rhetoric. As someone who grew up with an education in Poland that deliberately obscured the full horrors of the Holocaust, I've learned firsthand how ignorance fuels hate. My documentary "Mother of Hate" directly confronts this legacy. As a non-Jewish Pole deeply aware of my country's troubling history and the complicity of some of my fellow Poles during the Holocaust, I feel a profound moral obligation to speak out.
Albert Einstein said, "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." This is not just my duty towards the Jewish people; it is equally my responsibility as a Pole to challenge and dismantle the harmful stereotype that all Poles are antisemites. If genuine change is what we seek, we must begin by looking at "the man in the mirror," as Michael Jackson poignantly sang. Having visited Israel, my views are informed by facts, firsthand experience, and historical knowledge—not by sensationalist social media or the biased narratives propagated by bias, anti-Zionist, antisemitic BBC.
To speak passionately without understanding is the hallmark of ignorance, and tragically, we're witnessing THE RISE OF THE IDIOTS across the West.