JERUSALEM – In less than three weeks, Poland will hold commemoration ceremonies to mark 80 years since the Soviet Red Army’s liberation of the Auschwitz – the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp on its soil – and yet, there is still significant doubt as to whether Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be among the participants.
It seems extraordinary that the elected leader of the Jewish state – the largest single Jewish population on earth – would not be present to mark such a somber event as the liberation of the place, which is the largest Jewish burial ground in the world. And yet, here we are.
As a result of the International Criminal Court’s late November decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, and his then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, over their alleged war crimes in conducting the Gaza war against Hamas, there are several countries – including Poland – which have threatened to fulfill those warrants.
Polish PM Donald Tusk is threatening to arrest Netanyahu if he comes to Poland for the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. pic.twitter.com/zzjlw4tw51
— John Dawson (@dawsonjohn95) January 8, 2025
On Wednesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda called on Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government to guarantee Netanyahu’s safety from arrest if he should attend the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation. In a Jan. 8 letter to Tusk reviewed by Bloomberg, Duda emphasized the need to ensure Netanyahu’s presence would remain “unhindered” during his time in Poland, citing the “absolutely exceptional circumstances” of the commemoration.
The commemoration of the Nazi death camp’s liberation is set to take place on Jan. 27, the mandated International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A Netanyahu spokesperson was asked what the prime minister’s plans were with regard to the commemoration, and slightly curiously responded no official invitation had yet been received. Privately Polish officials assess any lack of contact from their Israeli counterparts is due to fears the prime minister will indeed be arrested if he sets foot on Polish soil.
Despite his frequent disagreements with Tusk’s administration, – who hails from the other side of the political aisle – Duda expressed confidence in the letter that the government could develop an “adequate formula” to guarantee Netanyahu’s safety while respecting international law and honoring the significance of the Auschwitz liberation commemoration.
