Bibi to Skip Auschwitz Liberation Event in Poland amid War Crime Arrest Concerns

By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is avoiding next month’s Auschwitz liberation ceremony in Poland due to fears of arrest over war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.

According to Poland’s Rzeczpospolita newspaper, “Israeli” officials did not request Netanyahu’s attendance at the January 27 event.

The report follows last month’s issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court [ICC] against Netanyahu and ousted war minister Yoav Gallant. Both face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the ongoing war in Gaza.

The ICC determined there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant “intentionally and knowingly” deprived Palestinians in Gaza of essential resources, including food and water, actions it classified as crimes against humanity.

Since October, the war has resulted in over 45,200 Palestinian martyrs, predominantly women and children.

As a signatory to the Rome Statute, Poland is obligated to adhere to ICC rulings. Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski affirmed Poland’s commitment to respecting the ICC’s decisions, which reportedly influenced “Israeli” officials’ decision not to pursue Netanyahu’s attendance.

Rzeczpospolita also indicated that the “Israeli” entity’s President Isaac Herzog is not planning to attend the event.

Despite the ICC warrants, the United States, “Israel’s” primary ally, hosted Gallant earlier this month. On December 10, Gallant met with Brett McGurk, President Joe Biden’s envoy for West Asia, at the White House, publicly sharing details and photos of the meeting.