While the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, France is stuck between its obligations to the ICC and the desire to improve its relations with Israel. The government seems to have found a solution.
Between its relations with Israel, which were still tense until recently, and its duties towards the International Criminal Court (ICC), France is playing with skill. After maintaining the vagueness, she decided this Wednesday 27 as to her position. “France will rigorously apply, as it has always done, the obligations incumbent upon it under international law,” declared Michel Barnier before the National Assembly the day before, without however specifying whether or not the country would arrest Benyamin Netanyahu. And for good reason, the government seems to have found a pirouette explained by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this Wednesday. Jean-Noël Barrot raised “questions of immunity” provided for in the Treaty of Rome and from which certain leaders can benefit, in particular those who do not recognize the ICC, as he made known on Franceinfo. “Such immunities apply to Prime Minister Netanyahu and other ministers concerned and will have to be taken into consideration if the ICC were to ask us for their arrest and surrender,” writes the Quai d’Orsay in a press release. The ministry also indicated “working in close collaboration” with Benjamin Netanyahu “to achieve peace and security for all in the Middle East”.
The Israeli Prime Minister is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC on Thursday, November 21, along with his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deïf. Since this date, France, like the 123 other countries which signed the Treaty of Rome and recognized the ICC, are theoretically required to arrest these three people if they set foot on their soil. The court decision has no further impact on the Jewish state, as the leader recalled that “no scandalous anti-Israeli decision will prevent us – and particularly not me – from continuing to defend our country in any way whatsoever.” . Other Israeli representatives denounced an “anti-Semitic” decision.
Reactions to the issuance of international arrest warrants were strong, numerous and diverse. Besides Israel, the United States rejected the “scandalous” decision of the ICC, but the latter has never recognized the authority of the body. The fact remains that among the 124 countries recognizing the ICC, several refused to bow to its authority and arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited their territory such as Hungary or Austria. Others, on the other hand, assured that they would scrupulously respect the arrest warrants, like Italy or the United Kingdom.
Netanyahu’s call to Macron
After the ICC’s announcements, the Israeli Prime Minister telephoned Emmanuel Macron according to information from Le Parisien to push the French authorities not to respect the arrest warrants. The head of state is said to have made a speech similar to that of his government in recent hours: France will respect international law, but immunity could be granted to heads of state. Other Israeli representatives sent similar messages to the French government and President, including the Israeli ambassador to France who on November 22 denounced a “entirely arbitrary” court decision aimed at “preventing” Israel from defending itself at the microphone. from Franceinfo. The man called on Emmanuel Macron to “follow the example that was given by the United States, by the American president and by other countries of the European Union such as Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, which deplored this resolution.
According to our information, Benyamin Netanyahu telephoned Emmanuel Macron “last week” according to the Élysée, to express his anger about the ICC decision and to seek to influence Paris not to apply it against him. The French president reportedly replied that France respects international law, but that the judge could decide to grant immunity to heads of state.
Latest updates
18:59 – Israel to appeal ICC decision
Less than a week after the issuance of international arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes, Israel announces his intention to appeal the court decision. Pending a decision on the merits, Israel also asked the ICC to suspend the execution of these two arrest warrants, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said in a press release.
15:39 – The left criticizes the immunity granted to Benjamin Netanyahu
The announcement of the immunity granted to Benyamin Netanyahu made some left-wing politicians jump. “France is once again complying with the demands of Benyamin Netanyahu by choosing him rather than international justice” lamented the boss of the Ecologists, Marine Tondelier on X. The ministry’s decision is “a shame” in her eyes. She goes so far as to suspect a “deal” so that France is cited among the actors having enabled a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The coordinator of France Insoumise, Manuel Bompard, for his part, asked if the term “immunity” had not been confused with that of “impunity”.
15:30 – France grants immunity to Benjamin Netanyahu despite the ICC arrest warrant
France decided this Wednesday on the behavior to adopt regarding the arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Benjamin Netanyahu. If France intends to respect its obligations vis-à-vis the ICC “rigorously” as Michel Barnier declared to the deputies yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs clarified this Wednesday that the Prime Minister of the International Criminal Court benefits from an “immunity” which “must be taken into consideration” despite the arrest warrant. In a press release, the ministry invokes the obligations provided for in international law linked to “immunities of States not parties to the ICC”, which is the case of Israel. It adds that “such immunities apply to Prime Minister Netanyahu and other ministers affected” by a court arrest warrant.