Rabbi Steven Burg told Newsmax on Friday that Poland’s threat of upholding an International Criminal Court arrest warrant on Benjamin Netanyahu should Israel’s prime minister attend a Holocaust memorial event in the country is “absurd” and “crazy.”
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes stemming from Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip following Iranian-backed Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, who has since been killed by Israel’s military.
Poland is holding an event next month to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Netanyahu reportedly will not attend to avoid being arrested.
“Everyone knows the ICC is totally out of control,” Burg, CEO of Aish and an executive board member of the Rabbinical Council of America, told “American Agenda." “Next thing you know, the United States have been hitting back the Houthis. So, you're going to have President Trump be indicted by the ICC and not be able to go to any NATO countries.
“But this, especially, given the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Many other countries — France, Hungary, other countries — have basically said they weren't going to act on those warrants because they know those warrants are absolutely absurd and ridiculous. ... Poland has a lot of soul searching to do.”
Burg said Poland’s complicated history with the Holocaust might be a reason why its government will cooperate with the ICC warrants.
“I think the Poles in general have always kind of wrestled with their part of history,” Burg said. "The overwhelming majority of concentration camps were in Poland, but they have always blamed the Germans. Kind of [like] it was Germany's issue. They did the Holocaust. We were all victims together. The Poles have always kind of wrestled with that.
“You have a lot of European countries that are just scared of their shadow. They're scared of just doing what's right, what's morally right, what's morally correct. And I think Europe has a very dim future, I don't know how else to say it, if they're not going to be able to stand up for what's right.”
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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