Macierewicz on Collaboration with Israel: “I hope it is going to be intensified”

According to Bogumiła Piekut working at the Polish Ministry of Defence, the main issues covered during the talks at the Israeli Ministry included security, military bilateral collaboration along with assessment of threats on the southern flank, within the context of the refugee crisis.

- The dynamic security environment and increased number of threats force us to increase our efforts to maintain security. It is very important to approach these problems holistically, to integrate them (...) Poland, for many years, was placed within a peculiar situation. We did not experience terrorism which could have only been observed, all around. We are not naive though. The world is changing, and the threats - get closer.

When the security situation in Europe and the Middle Easts was being discussed, Minister Macierewicz noted that both Poland, as well as Israel, have found themselves in a similar strategic context, and that they treat all of the security issues with a proper degree of seriousness. Polish Minister of Defence noted that Poland, being located on NATO’s Eastern Flank, is well aware of the fact that security of Poland is tantamount to security of the whole Europe. Head of the Israeli Ministry of Defence stressed the fact that it is very significant to, maintaining the security status of the region today, be one step ahead of the terrorists, and get rid of the causes, without waiting for the effects.

Not only Poland and Israel share their beliefs, they also share many of the common goals, in the domain of security. Secure Poland is tantamount to secure Europe, the order of which is threatened by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and by occupation of a part of its territory. The efforts to maintain security shall be perceived in long-term categories.

The Ministers also covered the issues related to the immigrants, and the current situation in Syria. Macierewicz noted: Poland is ready to provide any help needed by the victims of the Syrian crisis, however we would like to provide that help at the crisis location. (...) Poland decisively endorses the steps that would stop that process which poses a threat to millions of people, but the actions need to be taken in Syria, where that process is born. A similar stance, as Moshe Ya’Alon assured, has been taken by Israel.

Both Ministers also discussed the latest acts of terror in France and Belgium.

Covering the area of bilateral cooperation, Minister Macierewicz noted that Poland is also interested in implementation and continuation of some of the programmes that are being developed by Israel. – Your knowledge and your experience in many areas is priceless to us – as it was added by the Polish Defence Minister. Minister noted that expansion of military collaboration is as important as development at other levels – including the areas of technology and politics.

- If we are expanding our military and technological collaboration, not only will these actions be beneficial for Poland or Israel, they will have a positive effect on the whole shape of the European security. (...) We should share the technologies to meet the challenges we will need to face.Thus we perceive Israel to be our ally. And we are happy that Israel thinks the same of us.This is very important for Poland. – as Macierewicz summed up the meeting.

As the unofficial information suggests, the talks covered the potential procurement of the Israeli UAV systems, for the purpose of realizing the modernization progress pertaining to the Polish Army. 

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