Netanyahu is currently under an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued in November, which accuses him of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
Both the Polish President's Office and the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Duda had sent a letter to Tusk, describing the upcoming commemoration as an "absolutely unique occasion."
“Given the extraordinary nature of the event, which marks 80 years since the liberation of the German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, President Duda believes that, should Prime Minister Netanyahu wish to attend, he should have the opportunity to do so,” said Małgorzata Paprocka, head of Duda's office.
Paprocka added that ensuring a smooth visit by a foreign leader would fall under government jurisdiction.
"The relevant security services are supervised by the prime minister and his Cabinet," she told public broadcaster Polish Radio.
Polish Radio obtained a copy of Duda’s letter, in which the president said he trusts that "the authorities and services subordinate to the prime minister and his government —drawing on Poland’s rich tradition of providing legal protection to visiting foreign delegations—will find a suitable formula to reconcile the binding international law with the extraordinary character of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.”
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the letter, citing no indication from Israel that Netanyahu plans to visit.
Unofficial diplomatic sources told Polish Radio they do not expect the Israeli leader to attend. Similar reports appeared in the Israeli media in December.
A host of foreign dignitaries and politicians from across the world are expected to visit Auschwitz on January 27, the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation by the Soviet Army.
A spokesman for the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in the southern Polish city of Oświęcim has told the media that personal invitations were sent exclusively to Holocaust survivors, who are the event's most important guests.
"It is up to foreign embassies to decide who will represent their respective countries," he said, adding that the museum has yet to be informed of Israel's representative.
Auschwitz-Birkenau, operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland, was liberated on January 27, 1945. The site now serves as a memorial to the more than 1 million people—mostly Jews—who were murdered there during World War II.
(jh/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, DGP