Editing Yad Vashem (section)

== Controversies ==

=== Ładoś Group ===
In April 2019 the Yad Vashem granted the title of [[Righteous Among the Nations]] to [[Konstanty Rokicki]] and offered "appreciation" to [[Aleksander Ładoś]] and [[Stefan Ryniewicz]] arguing that Rokicki headed the [[Ładoś Group]]. The document erroneously called Ładoś and Ryniewicz "consuls".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brazer |first1=Jenni |title=Poland's wartime consul named Righteous Among Nations for role in saving Jews |url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/polands-wartime-consul-named-righteous-among-nations-for-role-in-saving-jews/ |access-date=3 June 2019 |website=jewishnews.timesofisrael.com|date=26 April 2019 }}</ref> The decision sparked outrage and frustration among the family members of the two other late Polish diplomats, and among survivors.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beck |first1=Eldad |title=After Yad Vashem honors Rokicki, fight over Bernese Group continues |url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/04/30/after-yad-vashem-honors-rokicki-fight-over-bernese-group-continues/ |access-date=3 June 2019 |website=israelhayom.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Beck |first=Eldad |date=16 November 2021 |title=Is Yad Vashem transforming Holocaust memory into political activism? |work=Israel Hayom |url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/11/16/is-yad-vashem-transforming-holocaust-memory-into-political-activism/}}</ref> Thirty one of them signed an open letter to Yad Vashem.<ref>{{cite web |title=Holocaust survivors appeal to decorate 'all Ładoś Group members' |url=https://polandin.com/42916166/holocaust-survivors-appeal-to-decorate-all-lados-group-members |access-date=3 June 2019 |website=polandin.com |last1=s. a |first1=Telewizja Polska }}</ref> Rokicki's cousin refused to accept the medal until two other Polish diplomats, Rokicki's superior are recognized as Righteous Among The Nations, too. Polish Ambassador to Switzerland [[Jakub Kumoch]] who contributed to the discovery of Rokicki also refuted the Yad Vashem's interpretation stating that Rokicki worked under Ładoś and Ryniewicz.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kumoch |first1=Jakub |title=The Polish Holocaust hero you've never heard of |url=https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-polish-holocaust-hero-you-havent-heard-of/ |access-date=3 June 2019 |website=timesofisrael.com}}</ref> Eldad Beck of ''[[Israel Hayom]]'' suggested that this decision was politically inspired and related to the worsening of [[Israel–Poland relations|Israel-Poland relations]] due to the controversy over the [[Amendment to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance]].<ref name=":0" />

===Political interference and leadership===
In 2018, Yad Vashem chief historian Dina Porat participated in developing a compromise agreement between the [[Government of Israel|Israeli]] and [[Government of Poland|Polish]] governments about Poland’s record during the Holocaust, and moderating a Polish law criminalizing any assertion of any Polish complicity in the Holocaust or other [[Nazi]] crimes. By agreement between the Israeli and Polish governments, the law was reworded to acknowledge some Polish misconduct, in exchange for a joint declaration by Polish government and Israeli [[Knesset]] that many Poles committed "heroic" efforts "to save Jewish people." However, the museum, itself, argued the declaration "contains highly problematic wording that contradicts existing and accepted historical knowledge in this field," and harshly disparaged the deal, saying the agreement would stifle free research about the subject.<ref name="resigns_2020_06_21_toi">[https://www.timesofisrael.com/yad-vashem-holocaust-memorial-chairman-resigns-after-27-years/  "Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial chairman resigns after 27 years: Avner Shalev, 81, informs Netanyahu of his decision, but does not name a successor to take over national remembrance institute"] June 21, 2020, ''[[Times of Israel]],'' retrieved January 29, 2025</ref>

In February 2020, Yad Vashem apologized for “inaccuracies” and “partial” facts that had been presented in Jerusalem at the previous month’s World Holocaust Forum (attended by Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] and other world leaders). The criticism alleged the program excessively emphasized Russia’s role in ending World War II, and suppressed information unpalatable to Russia's government.<ref name="apologizes_2020_02_03_toi">[https://www.timesofisrael.com/yad-vashem-apologizes-for-distortions-favoring-russia-at-holocaust-forum/ "Yad Vashem apologizes for distortions favoring Russia at Holocaust forum: Museum tells newspaper it allowed an unbalanced representation of events during World War II, clarifies that videos shown at ceremony last month do not represent its own position"] February 3, 2020, ''[[Times of Israel]],'' retrieved January 29, 2025</ref>

In 2020, plans to appoint [[Effi Eitam]] to head the institutions have been criticized due to alleged racist remarks made by the appointee.<ref>{{Cite web |author=ToI Staff |title=Amid leadership controversy, Yad Vashem appoints Ronen Plot as acting chairman |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-leadership-controversy-yad-vashem-appoints-ronen-plot-as-acting-chairman/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Liphshiz |first=Cnaan |title=Normally reticent Auschwitz museum director wades into Yad Vashem controversy |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/normally-reticent-auschwitz-museum-director-wades-into-yad-vashem-controversy/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

In summer 2023, a number of scholars, politicians and media figures have criticized Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] and Education Minister [[Yoav Kisch]] for an attempt to remove Yad Vashem Chairman [[Dani Dayan]] from his position, noting that this reduces the independence and, hence, credibility of the institution.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eichner |first=Itamar |date=2023-09-03 |title=Researchers of the Holocaust slam move to oust Yad Vashem chair |language=en |work=Ynetnews |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byjd2o1102 |access-date=2023-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Israel tries to oust Yad Vashem head under Sara Netanyahu's influence |url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-757105 |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=31 August 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>