Polish president seeks protection for Netanyahu at Auschwitz liberation event

Piotr Skolimowski, Bloomberg News on Jan 9, 2025

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Poland’s president asked the government to shield Benjamin Netanyahu from potential arrest if the Israeli prime minister attends a commemoration in the country of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

President Andrzej Duda said Polish authorities should guarantee that Netanyahu’s stay on Polish territory remain “unhindered” and referred to the “absolutely exceptional circumstances” of the event, according to a Jan. 8 letter addressed to Prime Minister Donald Tusk seen by Bloomberg News.

The Israeli premier is subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The Hague-based tribunal issued the warrant in November following a request by the chief ICC prosecutor in relation to Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union.

Hamas killed some 1,200 Israelis and took about 250 hostage when it invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s military response has killed over 45,500 Palestinians, the Hamas-run health ministry says, though it doesn’t differentiate between civilians and militants.

The commemoration for the liberation of the Nazi death camp is scheduled to take place on Jan. 27. Asked whether Netanyahu planned to attend, a spokesperson for the prime minister said on Monday that no invitation had been received.

The president’s request could put the Polish government in an awkward position. As a signatory to the treaty establishing the ICC, Poland is obliged to respect the body’s rulings and hold accountable those who commit acts of mass inhumanity.

Duda, who has frequently been at odds with Tusk’s administration, said in the letter that he believes the government will be able to “devise an adequate formula” to provide guarantees for Netanyahu that reconcile respect for international law with the significance of the Auschwitz liberation.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in November that he planned to invite Netanyahu to Budapest, disregarding the ICC arrest warrant.

A Polish government spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for a comment. The president’s office declined to comment.

—With assistance from Dan Williams and Natalia Ojewska.