The head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, Małgorzata Paprocka, confirmed on Thursday in the PAP Studio that President Andrzej Duda had asked the government to ensure that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could participate in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, if Netanyahu expressed such a wish.
The Israeli prime minister is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The court issued the arrest warrant in November at the request of the ICC’s chief prosecutor in the context of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas.
On Thursday, the Times of Israel reported that President Duda had asked the Polish government to provide protection from arrest to the Israeli prime minister if he attends the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Jan. 27.
Paprocka: everything is in the prime minister’s hands
This information was confirmed on Thursday in the PAP Studio by the head of the Chancellery of the President, Małgorzata Paprocka. As she said, every person from Israel, as well as a representative of its authorities, “should have the opportunity — if they so wish — to take part in this exceptional event.”
“All instruments related to ensuring the possibility of the stay of the prime minister, or any other representative of the state (…) due to the subordination of the services are in the hands of the prime minister and the Council of Ministers,” Paprocka added. According to her report, the Chancellery of the President is now waiting for a reaction from the government.
