WARSAW, Poland — On Thursday, the Polish government passed a resolution aimed at guaranteeing the secure attendance of high-ranking officials from Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the upcoming events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, set for later this month.
Last year, Netanyahu became a person of interest internationally when the International Criminal Court (ICC), which deals with cases of war crimes, issued a warrant for his arrest concerning actions related to the conflict in Gaza. The court accused him and others of crimes against humanity.
According to the resolution released by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s office, the Polish government recognizes the importance of allowing Israeli leaders to participate in the January 27, 2025 commemoration as a way to honor the Jewish community, whose millions suffered during the Holocaust perpetrated by the Third Reich.
This statement follows a request from Polish President Andrzej Duda to ensure that Netanyahu could attend the events without the worry of arrest. During World War II, German forces occupied Poland and established ghettos and extermination camps where the lives of millions of Jews and other groups were tragically lost.
Concerns had previously arisen regarding the warrant, which might hinder Netanyahu’s journey to Poland for the commemoration marking the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp by Soviet troops.
Countries that are members of the ICC, including Poland, are obliged to detain individuals with active warrants when they enter their territory, though enforcement of such conditions is challenging. It’s noteworthy that Israel is not a member of the ICC and contests its jurisdiction over Israeli officials.
There are over 120 member states in the ICC, and some, like France, have indicated they would not detain Netanyahu, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has even expressed intentions to invite him to Hungary, openly defying the warrant.
Meanwhile, it remains uncertain whether Netanyahu wishes to attend the observance. Earlier, the Polish Foreign Ministry noted it had not received information confirming that the Israeli Prime Minister plans to join the Auschwitz commemoration.
The ministry stressed that “Poland is a safe country and any leader visiting Poland is entitled to protection granted by the Ministry of the Interior.” Additionally, it characterized notions of possible arrest as “fake news” circulated in U.S. media.
The commemoration is expected to draw international dignitaries and survivors from the Holocaust and will take place in Oswiecim, a town that was under Nazi control during the conflict.
Historically, Auschwitz is known for the systematic murder of over 1.1 million individuals, primarily Jewish victims, alongside Poles, Roma, Soviet POWs, and others.
