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Poland signalled to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he won’t be arrested if he attends the 80th anniversary commemoration marking the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp.<\/p>\n
Any representative of the Israeli leadership who wishes to participate on January 27 can feel safe and will not be arrested, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, after cabinet agreed on the stance.<\/p>\n
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant late last year, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n
However, Netanyahu said weeks ago that he did not plan to attend the commemoration. Israel is due to be represented by its Education Minister, according to Tusk.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry also said there was no indication that Netanyahu wanted to attend the commemoration.<\/p>\n
The memorial has said delegations from 10 countries have already confirmed their attendance.<\/p>\n
Nazis killed more than 1 million people at Auschwitz, the German death camp. They killed some 6 million Jews throughout Europe during the Shoah, or Holocaust.<\/p>\n
The court’s warrant sparked intense international criticism as the first international arrest warrant directed towards a Western head of government.<\/p>\n
Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands – the court’s host country – said immediately they would fulfil their obligations, which would mean arresting Netanyahu during any visit.<\/p>\n
Others were more reserved, such as France which said it would respect the law while also questioning whether Netanyahu might enjoy immunity.<\/p>\n
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n was unequivocal and demonstratively extended an invitation to Netanyahu, saying he would ignore the warrant.<\/p>\n
Before the Polish cabinet’s decision, President Andrzej Duda appealed in writing to Tusk\u2019s government to protect Netanyahu from arrest should he attend.<\/p>\n
Tusk expressed clear annoyance at Duda’s initiative. Duda, from the largest opposition party PiS, has often hampered the government in the past.<\/p>\n
Tusk said Duda was aware that the government was working on a resolution to protect Israeli representatives at the commemoration. “There are matters that should be handled with discretion, especially when they have such weight and are so complicated,” Tusk said.<\/p>\n
Poland’s prime minister emphasized that his government generally recognises the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.<\/p>\n
“This decision concerns the commemoration of the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. For us, it is very important that Poland does not become one of the countries openly and demonstratively wanting to defy the decision of international courts,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n