Polish President Andrzej Duda paid his respects to the resting place of Yoni Netanyahu on Tuesday, placing a bouquet of flowers on the grave during his visit to Jerusalem.
The Polish leader went together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit his brother’s grave at Mount Herzl military cemetery.
President Duda said that he knows the story of Yoni Netanyahu, and that he is a “hero.” He placed a stone on the IDF commander’s grave that he brought with him from the Warsaw Ghetto especially for the occasion.
President Reuven Rivlin welcomed President Duda of Poland upon his arrival Tuesday, thanking him also for attending the funeral of Israel’s Ninth President, Shimon Peres.
The Israeli president spoke of the close ties between the two countries, and underscored the importance of helping Israel in its efforts to continue coordinating relations with the European Union.
“Our meeting with officials of the Polish Government are always replete with content and interest, and are a testament to the close ties between our states and our peoples; close historical ties, alongside dealing bravely with a complex, rich, and painful past. Today, there is perhaps no field in which there is not unique cooperation between the two countries. Among them, there is enhanced trade and relations in the fields of science, culture, sport, and security – and I hope we will tighten this cooperation even further,” he said.
“The ties between Israel, the European Union, and Poland are a cornerstone for our foreign policy. We are not only trade partners, we share values, challenges, and geographical proximity, and it is important we coordinate positions in relation to the emerging international agenda,” he continued.
“Mr. President, you come to Israel, to Jerusalem, at a time when we are facing a wave of terror. We have lived for many years in the shadow of the threat of terror, yet we keep our heads high. Despite this struggle, we succeed in developing here an industry of innovation, of creativity, and initiative, and we want to deepen the cooperation between us.”