A Polish minister said his country would comply with an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a Holocaust commemoration event in Auschwitz.
secretary of state Władysław Bartoszewski is overseeing events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the extermination camps by Allied forces. Confirmed This information was sent to Polish news agency Rzeczpospolita. (Related article: Alan Dershowitz announces formation of ‘legal dream team’ to defend Israel at ICC following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s indictment)
Anonymous Polish diplomats told the media that they did not see any double standards being imposed on the value of ICC arrest warrants. “We hope that President Vladimir Putin will finally appear before the ICC. That is why we must abide by the court’s decision,” they said.
The newspaper said Israeli officials did not contact the Polish government about whether Netanyahu would be able to attend the event. Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog is also unlikely to attend the ceremony. Despite the fact that the majority of Auschwitz victims were Jewish, only Foreign Minister Gideon Saar can represent Israel at the event.
On November 21, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Job Gallant. The two men are held responsible for “the war crime of starvation as a means of war.” and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhuman acts. ” These allegations were related to the Israeli-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli leaders rejected these claims. According to the New York Sun, the country is also challenging the court’s jurisdiction over its own citizens. Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC. However, Palestine is a member of this organization. The international tribunal has held that the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces are at war with Hamas, is part of Palestine and therefore under Palestinian jurisdiction.
.@NewYorkMy Friday column: Even before Bibi said she would attend the 80th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz, Poland insisted that she would be arrested if she came to the event commemorating the murder of 1 million Jews in the death camp. https://t.co/FEpXmwQxhx
— Benny Avni (@bennyavni) December 20, 2024
Prominent lawyer Alan Dershowitz said the ICC’s warrant against Israel could create a precedent for use against the United States. “Remember, the United States refused to sign the Treaty of Rome, the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court. Israel refused to sign the treaty. “Where do they get their authority or authority? That’s unthinkable,” he said.
According to the international organization, Poland has been a member of NATO since 1999. Website.
