Protesters urge Poland to arrest Netanyahu (VIDEOS)
Hundreds of people marched in Warsaw on Friday to protest against the Polish government’s confirmation that it won't arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the country.
In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of committing war crimes in Gaza. On Thursday, the office of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Warsaw would not arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader travels to Poland for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Auschwitz death camp during World War II.
Protesters rallied outside the Presidential Chancellery building, waving Palestinian flags and posters with anti-Netanyahu slogans.
Protest przeciw polskiej ochronie dla Netanjahu idzie sprzed Kancelarii Prezydenta pod Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości i Kancelarię Premiera. Jest kilkaset osób, skandują "aresztować Netanjahu". @OnetWiadomoscipic.twitter.com/UEpZyvQHVn
— Marcin Terlik (@MarcinTerlik) January 10, 2025
The crowd chanted “arrest Netanyahu,” as well as accusations that Tusk and Polish President Andrzej Duda are “defending genocide.”
"Tusk i Duda bronią ludobójcy" teraz na proteście przeciw ochronie dla Benjamina Netanjahu przed Kancelarią Premiera. pic.twitter.com/6QwpmInJs2
— Marcin Terlik (@MarcinTerlik) January 10, 2025
Because the ICC lacks any police force or enforcement powers of its own, it relies on the countries that signed the Rome Statute to enforce its warrants. Poland signed the treaty, but Israel did not. Netanyahu has denied the accusations of war crimes and reaffirmed that the Jewish state does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
The Israeli prime minister is not currently planning to attend the ceremony commemorating the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz, the Times of Israel wrote on Thursday, citing an aide in the Netanyahu cabinet. Netanyahu may consider attending, but Poland would have to “solve the ICC issue” first, the aide said.
On Thursday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing the imposition of sanctions on the ICC if the court charges Americans or citizens of allied nations. The US does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction and has refused to back the outstanding warrant for Netanyahu.
