Protests in Warsaw after Poland says will not arrest Netanyahu

Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Warsaw on Friday, protesting the Polish government’s decision to refrain from arresting "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the country.

Earlier that day, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Netanyahu would not be detained should he attend the upcoming 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing a warrant for his arrest.

This announcement comes in the wake of the US House of Representatives passing a bill on Thursday to impose sanctions on ICC officials, a move seen as a response to the court’s warrant against Netanyahu.

The ICC relies on member states that signed the Rome Statute to enforce its warrants, as it does not have its own enforcement mechanism.

While Poland is a signatory to the treaty, “Israel” is not. Netanyahu has denied the war crimes allegations and reiterated that they do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction.

According to “The Times of Israel”, Netanyahu is not currently planning to attend the Auschwitz liberation commemoration. However, a senior aide in his cabinet noted that Netanyahu might reconsider if Poland addresses the “ICC issue” beforehand.