Polish authorities have confirmed that they will grant Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “protection” from arrest should he choose to attend the January 27 ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation.
"We are aware that this fake news is being spread in the US media, as if Polish Secretary of State Władysław Bartoszewski had stated that Prime Minister Netanyahu would be arrested upon his arrival in Poland, based on a ruling by the International Criminal Court," Warsaw's Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement to JNS on Thursday.
"Such a statement has never been made," the ministry stated, adding: "Poland is a safe country and any leader visiting Poland is entitled to protection granted by the Ministry of the Interior."
Bloomberg had earlier today reported that Polish president Andrzej Duda had asked his Prime Minister Donald Tusk to guarantee that a possible visit by the Israeli premier would remain "unhindered" by the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him.
In the January 8 missive, Duda reportedly cited the "absolutely exceptional circumstances" of the commemorative event.
Duda, a conservative who has frequently clashed with Tusk’s more liberal coalition, said that he believes Warsaw will be able to "devise an adequate formula" to provide guarantees for Netanyahu and reconcile respect for international law with the significance of the anniversary.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office declined to comment on the Bloomberg report.
The Israeli Prime Minister could face the threat of arrest if he enters countries which are signed up to the Hague court's founding treaty
Late last month, the PMO claimed that Netanyahu had never planned to attend the ceremony marking the liberation of the largest Nazi death camp, where an estimated 960,000 European Jews were murdered between 1940 and January 27, 1945.
"The event was not even in the prime minister’s schedule from the beginning," a PMO source told JNS on December 22.
The Polish Foreign Ministry also confirmed that it had “not received any information so far indicating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going to attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz."
The Hague court issued warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on November 21 for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.
More than 120 countries (including Poland) are signatories to the Rome Statute, the 2002 treaty which established the International Criminal Court and requiring them to act on its warrants.
Multiple member states of the European Union, who are collectively signatories to the ICC, have hinted at the possibility that the Israeli premier could enjoy immunity from arrest if he visits in an official capacity, including Hungary, France and Italy.
