Warsaw – The Polish government has pledged to ensure that Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will be free to travel to Poland later this month for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, despite an arrest warrant issued for Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC has issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, accusing him of alleged war crimes during Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The Polish government, however, has declared that the safety and participation of Israeli leaders in the January 27, 2025, commemorations will be guaranteed. A resolution was passed by the Polish government, which stated that it viewed the participation of Israeli officials as a significant tribute to the Jewish people, millions of whom suffered and perished in the Holocaust.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that any Israeli leader attending the commemoration in Auschwitz would be guaranteed safety and would not be detained. “Whether it is the prime minister, the president, or the minister of education of Israel, whoever will come to Oswiecim for the celebrations in Auschwitz will be assured of safety and will not be detained,” Tusk told reporters.
The resolution comes after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas commander Ibrahim a-Masri (also known as Mohammed Deif), accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. These charges were made after the escalation of violence following Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel has strongly condemned the ICC’s warrants, insisting that its actions are in self-defence, particularly in response to the Hamas attacks. Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, disputes the court’s jurisdiction over its leaders.
Poland, as a member state of the ICC, is obligated to detain individuals facing arrest warrants from the court if they enter its territory. However, the ICC has no power to enforce such warrants directly, and Poland has made it clear that Netanyahu and other Israeli officials will be allowed to attend the commemoration without fear of arrest.
In November 2024, Polish President Andrzej Duda sent a letter to Prime Minister Tusk urging that Netanyahu be allowed to attend the event without hindrance, citing the importance of the Auschwitz commemoration. “In the opinion of the president, there is one issue – precisely because it is the Auschwitz camp, every person from Israel, every representative of the authorities of this country should have the opportunity to take part in this exceptional event,” said Malgorzata Paprocka, head of Duda’s office.
The issue of Netanyahu’s potential attendance remains unclear. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Poland’s President Duda had written to Tusk requesting that Netanyahu be allowed to attend the commemoration unhindered due to the significance of the event. On Thursday, Tusk confirmed that the Israeli government had informed him that Israel’s Education Minister would represent the country at the ceremony, suggesting that Netanyahu himself may not attend.
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The Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, located in occupied Poland during World War II, stands as one of the most harrowing symbols of the Holocaust. Over 1.1 million people, the vast majority of them Jewish, perished in the camp, either through execution in gas chambers or from starvation, disease, and forced labour. The 80th anniversary of its liberation serves as a solemn reminder of the atrocities committed by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Despite Netanyahu’s current situation, Poland’s decision to safeguard Israeli officials’ participation underscores the delicate political balancing act at play. The commemoration at Auschwitz holds profound significance not only for Israel but for the entire world, representing a moment to remember and honour the victims of one of history’s most horrific genocides. While Netanyahu’s attendance is still uncertain, Poland’s resolution ensures that the leaders of Israel will be able to participate in the event without fear of arrest or political interference.
As the date of the commemoration approaches, all eyes will remain on the unfolding situation, especially as tensions continue to simmer between Israel, the ICC, and international political players.
