Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not risk arrest if he travels to Poland to attend the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp this month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said.
Mr Netanyahu is subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
As a signatory to the treaty establishing the ICC, Poland is obliged to hold those who commit international crimes accountable, which means it must detain and hand over the Israeli leader if he travels there.
But Mr Tusk has confirmed his safety will be “guaranteed” after Polish President Andrzej Duda urged the government to offer Mr Netanyahu safe passage due to the “absolutely exceptional circumstances” of the event, scheduled for January 27.
Malgorzata Paprocka, the head of Mr Duda's office, confirmed to the state news agency that a letter had been sent with the request, stating he believes the government will be able to “devise an adequate formula” to provide guarantees for Mr Netanyahu that reconcile respect for international law with the significance of the Auschwitz liberation.
“In the opinion of the president, there is one issue, precisely because it is the Auschwitz camp, every person from Israel, every representative of the authorities of this country should have the opportunity to take part in this exceptional event,” Ms Paprocka said.
Mr Tusk said that, according to information from the Israeli embassy, Israel will be represented at the ceremony by Education Minister Yoav Kisch, so Mr Duda's request could be considered a “political demonstration”.
“I confirm, whether it is the Prime Minister, the President or the Minister – as it is currently declared – of Education of Israel, whoever will come … for the celebrations in Auschwitz will be assured of safety and will not be detained,” he said.
More than 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, died in gas chambers or from starvation, cold and disease at Auschwitz, which Nazi Germany set up in occupied Poland during the Second World War. At least 3 million of Poland's 3.2 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis, accounting for about half of the Jews killed in the Holocaust.
Mr Netanyahu has yet to say whether he will attend the liberation commemoration at the site of the camp in southern Poland. The Israeli Prime Minister has attended previous anniversary events held there. His office and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Auschwitz camp – in pictures
The court in The Hague issued arrest warrants in November for Mr Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, named Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al Masri in the warrants, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group.
Israel has condemned the warrants for Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant, saying it has acted in self-defence in its air and ground war in Gaza triggered by Hamas's cross-border attack on October 7, 2023.
Hamas killed about 1,200 Israelis and took an estimated 250 people hostage when it invaded. Israel’s military response has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in November he planned to invite Mr Netanyahu to Budapest, disregarding the ICC arrest warrant.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
