Israel today approached the International Criminal Court or ICC to appeal against its order to arrest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for “war crimes”. In its appeal, Tel Aviv has asked the world court to suspend the arrest warrants against the prime minister and defence minister till the outcome of the appeal.
The world court had issued an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for “war crimes” in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas. It had also issued a similar arrest warrant against Hamas’s military head Mohammed Deif.
In a statement issued after the appeal to the world court, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, “The State of Israel challenges the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the legitimacy of the arrest warrants issued. If the court rejects this request, it will further demonstrate to Israel’s friends in the United States and around the world how biased the International Criminal Court is against the State of Israel.”
In an official statement the world court had stated that “The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest.”
The arrest warrants drew furious condemnation from Mr Netanyahu and other Israeli politicians. US and France have backed Mr Netanyahu and rejected the warrants, however, Western allies UK and Canada have said they will abide by it.
After the ruling, Prime Minister Netanyahu accused the world court at The Hague of “anti-Semitism” and vowed not to be deterred by it.
G7 foreign ministers said Tuesday they “will comply with our respective obligations” regarding the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Group of Seven industrialised nations brings together Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, host Italy and the United States.
“We reiterate our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and will comply with our respective obligations,” the ministers said in a joint statement issued following two days of talks near Rome.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last week, prompting outrage from Israel and its allies — including the US, which is not a member of the ICC and has rejected its jurisdiction.
All of the other G7 countries are members of the ICC — meaning they would have to arrest Netanyahu if he travelled there.
The ICC also issued warrants for Netanyahu’s former defence minister and for Hamas’s military chief Mohammed Deif, whom Israel claimed was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July. Hamas has not confirmed his death.
The G7 statement said the foreign ministers “underline that there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel”.
“In exercising its right to defend itself, Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including International Humanitarian Law,” the statement said.
The Hague-based ICC says the warrants for Netanyahu and his former minister were “for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024”.
Italy had asked for a discussion on the ICC warrants at the G7, after apparent splits within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government over what it meant for Netanyahu.
A diplomatic source said the discussion in Fiuggi was “much broader and more strategic” than what ended up in the final statement, without revealing details.
War has raged in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,207 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 44,249 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
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G7 ministers meeting in Italy next week will discuss the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Friday, saying the issue required further analysis.
Israel and its allies denounced the ICC’s decision on Thursday to issue an arrest warrant for the Israeli premier, even as Turkey — and rights groups — welcomed the move.
Meloni’s hard-right coalition government appeared divided.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Thursday that Italy would have to arrest Israel’s premier if he visited, only for Meloni’s deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, to say Netanyahu would be welcome in Italy.
“In the coming days I will delve deeper into the reasons that led to the ICC’s decision. Reasons that should always be objective and not political in nature,” Meloni said in a statement.
She said the issue would be put on the agenda of a meeting of Group of Seven foreign ministers in Fiuggi, near Rome, on Monday and Tuesday.
The ICC also issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu’s former defence minister and for Hamas’s military chief Mohammed Deif.
“One point remains clear from this government — there cannot be an equivalence between the responsibility of the state of Israel and the terrorist organisation Hamas,” Meloni said.
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