Israel Duda wants protection for Netanyahu at Auschwitz memorial service
President Andrzej Duda has called on Poland's government to protect Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from arrest if he attends the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27. All citizens and government representatives of Israel should have the opportunity to take part in this unique event if they so wish, the head of the presidential office, Malgorzata Paprocka, told the PAP news agency.
09.01.2025, 18:23
SDA
A spokesperson for the Polish Foreign Ministry said that so far there was no indication that Netanyahu intended to attend the memorial service. Netanyahu's office had already announced in December that the event had "not been on the Prime Minister's schedule from the outset".
Controversial arrest warrant against Netanyahu
At the end of November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his former defense minister Joav Galant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. It is the first international arrest warrant against a Western head of government, and it has caused fierce international criticism.
Canada, Italy and the Netherlands - host country of the court - immediately declared that they would fulfill their obligation and thus arrest Netanyahu during a visit. Others expressed restraint. France, for example, said that it would respect the law. At the same time, Paris doubted whether Netanyahu enjoyed immunity after all. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban was unambiguous: he demonstratively extended an invitation to Netanyahu and wants to ignore the arrest warrant.
Poland's government speaks of fake news
The spokesperson for the Polish Foreign Office emphasized that Poland is a safe country. "Every head of state or government visiting the country is entitled to the protection of the Ministry of the Interior." The spokesperson described reports that Polish government members had suggested that Netanyahu was at risk of arrest if he attended the memorial service as false information.
On January 27, the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp 80 years ago will be commemorated at a ceremony. According to the memorial, delegations from ten countries have already confirmed their attendance. The name Auschwitz has become a synonym for the Holocaust and the epitome of evil in people's minds around the world. The National Socialists killed more than a million people there alone, most of them Jews. Throughout Europe, they murdered around six million Jews during the Shoah.
