Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has decided not to attend the events in Poland next month commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, out of concern that he may face arrest, according to a report from Poland.
The major event, which will take place on January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, is expected to be attended by various global leaders, including King Charles of Britain.
Polish news outlet Rzeczpospolita reported that Israeli officials have not reached out to their Polish counterparts regarding Netanyahu’s attendance, and Polish officials suspect that the decision is linked to the country’s commitment to honoring an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes related to the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
In response to an inquiry, Poland’s deputy foreign minister reaffirmed the country’s position on upholding ICC warrants.
The report also stated that President Isaac Herzog does not plan to attend the ceremony in January, though former President Reuven Rivlin had participated in the 75th-anniversary event.
Since neither Israel’s head of state nor head of government will attend, Education Minister Yoav Kisch is expected to represent Israel at the occasion.
The Prime Minister’s Office has not made any public comment regarding this matter.
Netanyahu has refrained from traveling to Europe since the ICC issued arrest warrants against him and former defense minister Yoav Gallant last month, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict. The ICC also issued a warrant for the arrest of Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif, whom Israel claims is dead.
As a signatory to the ICC’s founding treaty, Poland is obligated to enforce these warrants. However, it remains uncertain whether all European Union countries would arrest Netanyahu, as France has asserted that the Israeli prime minister enjoys immunity from ICC actions, given that Israel is not a member of the court. Italy has stated that Netanyahu could not be arrested as long as he remains Israel’s prime minister.
Israel has vigorously denied the charges and filed an appeal against the ICC warrants, which stem from the Gaza conflict that erupted following Hamas’s deadly attack on southern Israel last October, in which terrorists killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages while committing horrific acts.
{Matzav.com}
shame
thet the proof they didnt repent from the holocaust