Poland has declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be arrested if he visits the country for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Jan. 27, in adherence to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski told the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita that Poland would execute the ICC's arrest warrant.
The ICC charged Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November for alleged crimes. Under the Rome Statute, which Poland and all European Union member states have signed, countries are legally obligated to execute ICC arrest warrants.
The anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation is typically attended by prominent international leaders. However, this year, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar will be the only official representative from Israel at the event.
President Isaac Herzog is not expected to attend, and Israeli officials have declined to confirm if Netanyahu had planned to be present.
Polish sources told Rzeczpospolita that the enforcement of ICC directives aligns with Poland's push to see Russian President Vladimir Putin held accountable for war crimes. In 2022, the ICC issued a warrant against Putin over allegations of kidnapping Ukrainian children during the Russia-Ukraine war.
Compliance with ICC arrest warrants has varied among the 27 EU member states bound by the Rome Statute. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Netanyahu would not face arrest in Hungary and even invited him to visit.
In contrast, multiple EU nations, including Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Lithuania, and Slovenia, have said they would arrest Netanyahu if he entered their borders.
France, which initially committed to executing the warrant, announced Netanyahu would be granted diplomatic immunity following negotiations for a ceasefire in Lebanon.