Int’l support grows for ICC warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant

Ahram Online , Friday 22 Nov 2024

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant continue to prompt supporting-versus-reluctant stances from leading member states, fueling a global debate over accountability in Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

Palestine
File Photo: Thousands of protesters supporting Palestine and demanding the arrest of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington D.C. AFP

 

The ICC’s warrants accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing the blockade of humanitarian aid and repeated attacks on civilians during Israel's war on Gaza.

The court says its members are obliged to arrest suspects should they enter their territories, although it has no means of enforcing this in practice.

Ireland and Spain, the first European countries to condemn Israel's war on Gaza, said Netanyahu would be arrested if he entered their territories.

Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris said on Friday that Netanyahu would be detained if he arrived in Dublin. “Yes, absolutely. We support international courts, and we apply their warrants,” he told state broadcaster RTÉ.

“Germany, bound by international law, is still ‘examining’ its response,” Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday. Meanwhile, France has not confirmed whether it will arrest Netanyahu, but it has reiterated its commitment to ICC independent work according to the Rome Statute.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Chief General Hossein Salami on Friday described the arrest warrant as the "end and political death" of Israel in a speech aired on state TV.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has openly defied the ICC’s decision, saying on Friday that he would invite Netanyahu to visit despite the arrest warrants.

Earlier on Thursday, Spain's foreign ministry said the country "respects" the ICC's decision and confirmed that the country "will comply with its commitments and obligations concerning the Rome Statute and international law."

Belgium also pledged full support for the ICC’s work on Thursday, while the Netherlands confirmed it would act on the arrest warrants. Lithuania's Foreign Ministry also confirmed the arrest warrant would be executed.

Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, although calling the warrants issued Thursday “ludicrous,” admitted that Austria would be required to comply.

In the UK, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated Britain’s respect for the ICC’s independence on Thursday but did not clarify whether it would enforce the warrants.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a post on X on Thursday that her government "respects the independence of the ICC and its important role in upholding international law."

South Africa, which has accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also supported the warrants on Thursday, saying they were an important step towards justice for Palestinians.

Algeria's foreign ministry issued a statement on the ruling on Thursday, saying it "marks a significant step towards ending decades of impunity."

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro on Thursday said the ruling was "logical" and "must be complied with," calling Netanyahu "genocidal."

The warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are the first to target sitting leaders from a major Western ally, raising questions about whether they will be enforced, as the court has traditionally focused on leaders from the Global South.

Israel's more-than-year war on Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 44,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, according to the territory's health ministry — figures the UN considers reliable.

A relentless Israeli siege has pushed Gaza to the brink of famine, while continuous bombardment has reduced the strip to rubble, displacing over 1.9 million people, or 85 percent of the population.

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