Netanyahu cancels Poland visit over arrest fears
Last Updated on December 24, 2024 7:04 am
Netanyahu has canceled his visit to Poland after receiving warnings that he could be arrested if he visits the country. Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ladislaus Bartoszewski made the announcement in an interview with the country’s Rzeczpospolita newspaper.
Auschwitz, the concentration camp where Nazi Germany imprisoned Jews from Poland and neighboring countries during World War II, is known as Auschwitz. There are several Auschwitzs across Poland. During the six years of World War II, about 1 million 10 thousand Jews were killed in Auschwitz in Poland. Almost all of these Jews were residents of Poland and the former Soviet Union.
After the end of World War II, these Auschwitzs were liberated. Since then, Poland has celebrated the liberation of Auschwitz every year in January. The 80th Liberation Day ceremony is set to be held next January. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to attend the event.
However, in an interview with Rzeczpospolita on Saturday, Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister said, “We have informed officials in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office that if he (Netanyahu) visits Poland, the Polish government will take action in accordance with the International Criminal Tribunal (ICC) warrant; because we are committed to complying with the ICC’s instructions.”
After we gave this message, the Israeli government informed us that he is not coming to Poland this time.
Incidentally, the International Criminal Tribunal (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November for ordering a brutal military operation in the Gaza Strip and depriving the residents there of food, water and medicine.
Although many countries, including Israel, the United States, China, and Russia, have not yet recognized the ICC, many countries around the world, including the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), and almost all countries in Western and Central Europe, have signed the ICC charter. The countries that have signed the charter are committed to complying with any directives issued by the ICC. Since Poland is on that list, the country must also comply with the arrest warrant against Netanyahu.