Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may skip the 80th-anniversary commemoration of the Auschwitz liberation next month, citing concerns over the possibility of arrest due to an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged war crimes during the Gaza conflict.
Reports from the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita suggest that Israeli officials have not contacted Poland about Netanyahu’s attendance, and Polish authorities believe his absence is related to Poland’s obligation to comply with the ICC’s arrest order. The ICC had issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in November 2023.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also will not attend the event, with Education Minister Yoav Kisch set to represent Israel instead. The commemoration, to be held on January 27, 2024, will feature Holocaust survivors and world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish King Felipe VI.
Poland has affirmed its commitment to honoring the ICC’s ruling, while Netanyahu’s office has announced plans to appeal the arrest warrant, calling it an unjust and antisemitic action. The legal dispute is expected to have broader implications for Israel’s diplomatic relations.
