Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has urged the government not to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he attend the Auschwitz anniversary event later this month, according to his office.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant in November accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Poland, as a party to the ICC, would be required to arrest Netanyahu if he attended the ceremony marking 80 years since the Red Army liberated the Nazi German death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Duda said “every person from Israel, every official from that country, should be able to take part in this unique event,” his aide Malgorzata Paprocka said on X.

Duda had sent a letter to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk “to ensure that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is able to participate in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, should he express such a wish”.

Tusk has not yet commented on the president’s position.