Borrell reiterates that EU states must respect ICC arrest warrants
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on all EU member states to respect decisions by the International Criminal Court, including the arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
“We cannot undermine the International Criminal Court. It is the only way of having global justice,” said Borrell. “They’re not political. It’s a legal body formed by respected people who are the best among the profession of judges.”
While all EU member states are signatories to the ICC’s founding treaty, France said yesterday it believed Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the ICC, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes. Italy, meanwhile, has said it is not feasible to arrest Netanyahu as long as he remains head of Israel’s government.
Israeli foreign minister says ‘no justification’ for ICC arrest warrants: Report
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar says that ICC had “no justification” for issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, in a joint news conference with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, the Reuters news agency reported.
Saar told Reuters Israel has appealed the decision, claiming that it set a dangerous precedent.
The foreign minister also told the agency that Israel would finish the war on Gaza when it “achieves its objectives” of returning captives being held in Gaza and ensuring Hamas no longer controls the Strip. Saar added that Israel does not intend to control civilian life in Gaza and that he believes peace is “inevitable” but that it can’t be based on “illusions”.
No recognition of Palestinian statehood during US government transition: Smotrich
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Israel has “thwarted a great threat to the settlements and the state of Israel this evening in a smart and quiet way”.
He wrote in a post on X that Israel has ensured a resolution recognising Palestinian statehood in the UN Security Council would not be passed during the period leading up to Donald Trump taking over the White House again in January,
“We will continue to develop the settlements, fortify Israel’s security and prevent the establishment of a terrorist state that will endanger our existence and the future of our children,” Smotrich said.
The minister has called for the military occupation of Gaza and is a staunch supporter of rapidly expanding Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, which are illegal under international law.