An exhibition devoted to contemporary Israel has opened at the Parliament building in Warsaw, as part of events marking the Day of Friendship with Israel.

The display presents a photographic record of the history of Israel since its birth in 1948 till the present day.

Parliamentary speaker Grzegorz Schetyna, who opened the display together with the Israeli ambassador to Poland Zvi Ravi-Ner, said Poles can be proud that Israel was built by Jewish people of Polish origin.

“Those people who were born and lived here left for Palestine, fought for and built the independence of Israel, and managed to defend it. We are proud, too, and we speak out about it,” Schetyna said.

Ambassador Zvi Ravi-Ner pointed out that the foundations and origins of Israeli political life were in Poland.

“David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, was from [the Polish city of] Plonsk. About fifty percent of deputies in the Israeli parliament in 1948 were from Poland. Five political parties, from left to right, had representatives in the Polish Seym before the war,” he said.

The exhibition, now on in the Polish parliament, was originally prepared to mark the 60th anniversary of Israel. (kk/pg)