The Polish government invited Israeli leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, to attend the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp on Monday, January 27. A decision that arouses a lot of opposition in several respects.
Will Benjamin Netanyahu come to Europe or not? This is the question that arises after the Polish government invited Israeli leaders, including the Prime Minister, to come and attend the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, in Poland, this Monday, January 27. Not only did it invite him, the Polish government also promised the leader of the Jewish state that he would not be arrested, despite the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Whether it is the Prime Minister, the President or the Minister of Education of the Hebrew State, their security will be guaranteed and they will not be arrested,” confirmed Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the press on January 9 . A decision that was imposed on him by the president of Poland, the conservative Andrzej Duda, in a letter that quickly leaked to the international press reports The Cross.
The decision and order of the Polish president put the government and the country in a delicate situation, because they contravene the court decision rendered by the ICC in November 2024. However, Poland, which signed the Rome Statute, recognizing the jurisdiction of the ICC, has the obligation to respect this decision. A theory which obviously did not prevent the government of Donald Tusk from ignoring the international arrest warrant, like other European countries, including Hungary and Italy. President Andrzej Duda’s desire to oppose the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu would be a sign of friendship sent to Israel and an attempt to please the United States, the Jewish state’s main ally and once again led by Donald Trump recently.
However, when the ICC announced the issue of an arrest warrant against the Israeli Prime Minister on November 21, Poland indicated that it would submit to the court decision. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski assured that Warsaw would respect the decisions of the ICC. An about-face which provoked the anger of half of the population who are opposed to the idea of letting Benjamin Netanyahu go free. 51.9% of the Polish population opposes Donald Tusk’s decision according to an IBRiS poll commissioned by Rzeczpospolita and relayed by EURACTIV. A senior official, wishing to remain anonymous, told The Cross that the Polish Prime Minister’s decision was “a very bad solution” while recognizing that “it was the only possible one”.
Will Benjamin Netanyahu be present?
Assured by those in power that he will not be arrested upon his arrival in Poland, the Israeli Prime Minister could be tempted to attend the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp, this Monday, January 27. Benyamin Netanyahu never gave details on what he intended to do, but according to La Croix the leader of the Hebrew state would not have planned to go to Poland.
While Israel has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip for more than a year and with Lebanese Hezbollah more recently, Benyamin Netanyahu’s travel abroad is limited. Especially since the Jewish state is currently working on a first phase of truce and must continue negotiations for possible other stages of the ceasefire. Not to mention the violent opposition expressed by part of the Israeli and international population against Netanyahu’s government. Which is accused by ICC of “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes”. Accusations which for some invalidate the arrival of the Israeli Prime Minister to the commemorations of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp. In this concentration camp, the largest in Nazi Germany, more than a million people, mainly Jews, died.