Polish President Andrzej Duda urged the government to guarantee Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's safety from arrest should he attend a commemoration in the country of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.
Duda’s latter, addressed to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, comes weeks after speculation arose that Netanyahu would skip the event over fears of his arrest following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
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Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: Gettyimages)
Duda, who has clashed with Poland’s government, called for assurances that Netanyahu’s visit would proceed “unhindered.” In his letter, Duda expressed confidence that an “adequate formula” could reconcile Poland’s international legal obligations with the symbolic significance of Auschwitz’s liberation.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and his former chief Yoav Gallant on November 21, accusing them of war crimes in Gaza. While all EU nations are ICC members, the bloc remains divided over whether to enforce such warrants.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán rejected the ICC directive, inviting Netanyahu to Budapest. France said Netanyahu is immune on French soil as Israel is not an ICC member. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called Netanyahu’s arrest "very theoretical."
However, countries like Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Slovenia signaled readiness to enforce the ICC warrant. Belgium’s outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo emphasized the need to avoid “double standards.”
Germany, grappling with its historic obligations to Israel, remains undecided. Poland’s stance is critical given its historical ties to Jewish communities and the Holocaust.
Last month, the Polish liberal newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported that Netanyahu had not been invited to the January 27 ceremony. Israeli officials confirmed Netanyahu’s absence was not planned, saying, “It wasn’t on the agenda, and no invitation was received.”
In contrast to the 75th-anniversary commemoration, which saw then-President Reuven Rivlin attend, President Isaac Herzog and Netanyahu will not travel to Poland. Israeli representation will likely fall to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, replacing initial plans for Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
The event, anticipated to host dozens of world leaders, underscores Poland's historical role in Holocaust memory. With Jewish victims forming the majority of Auschwitz’s victims, Netanyahu’s absence highlights growing geopolitical tensions.