World Reacts to ICC Warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant

Soon after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued its arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, different countries in the world except for a few like the United States welcomed the move and said that the verdict is binding.

All 124 members of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, are now compelled to arrest the two Israelis and hand them over to the court. 

It is likely that those to will restrict their travel so as not to be detained.

According to Middle East Eye, many of the states that will be compelled to hand over Netanyahu and Gallant are allies of Israel, including the UK, France, Germany and Hungary. 

Italy says would arrest Netanyahu if he came to country: 

 Italy would have to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to the country, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday, according to media.

CANADA:

"It's really important that everyone abide by international law," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, adding Canada would abide by rulings of international courts.

EUROPE:

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the ICC warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are not political and the court decision should be respected and implemented, Reuters reported.

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told parliament: "The Netherlands obviously respects the independence of the ICC," adding: "We won't engage in non-essential contacts and we will act on the arrest warrants. We fully comply with the Rome Statute of the ICC."

France's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said the French reaction to the warrants would be "in line with ICC statutes" but declined to say whether France would arrest the leader if he came to the country. "It's a point that is legally complex," he said.

Britain respects the independence of the ICC, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said without confirming whether Britain would uphold the warrants.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome would consider with allies how to interpret the decision and act together. "We support the ICC ... the court must play a legal role and not a political role," he added.

Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, "It is important that the ICC carries out its mandate in a judicious manner. I have confidence that the court will proceed with the case based on the highest fair trial standards."

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said Sweden and the EU "support the court's important work and protect its independence and integrity". Swedish law enforcement authorities decide on the arrest of subjects of ICC warrants on Swedish territory, she added.

Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris called the warrants "an extremely significant step" and added that Ireland respects the role of the ICC and anyone in a position to assist it in carrying out its vital work must do so "with urgency".

The Swiss Federal Office of Justice said it is obliged to cooperate with the ICC under the Rome Statute and would therefore have to arrest Netanyahu, Gallant or Masri if they entered Switzerland and initiate extradition to the court.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg called the warrant incomprehensible and ludicrous, but Schallenberg's office also said as a party to the Rome statutes Austria was obliged to implement ICC arrest warrants.

ICC arrest warrants ‘consistent with Human Rights Watch findings’

Yasmine Ahmed, the United Kingdom director for Human Rights Watch (HRW), says the ICC’s reasons for the arrest warrants are consistent with findings from HRW.

“Certainly the findings against both the Israeli officials, Benjamin Netanyahu and [Yoav] Gallant, are consistent with [our] findings … namely that Israel has committed starvation as a weapon of war, which is a war crime,” Ahmed told Al Jazeera from London.

The organisation is urging ICC member states to abide by the warrant, the HRW director said.

“It’s not every state in the world, but there are a significant number of states … and what it does do, is shrink the world for these people who have now been found to … have committed these crimes.”

Ahmed said that “consideration of criminal responsibility” is something that weighs heavily on the minds of those who are making decisions in the context of war.

“We know that war crimes and international crimes will continue to be committed, but we do know from what the work that we have done … that this is incredibly important,” she said.

UK says ‘respects ICC independence’, focused on ceasefire

A United Kingdom government spokesperson has refused to directly say whether the UK will honor the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant, according to Al Jazeera.

“We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court, which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“This government has been clear that Israel has a right to defend itself, in accordance with international law. There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terrorist organisations,” the statement continues.

The British government said it will “remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza”, release the captives and increase humanitarian aid.

US believes that the ICC has ‘no jurisdiction’ after issuing arrest warrants

The administration of US President Joe Biden is rejecting the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants … saying it is deeply concerned, Al Jazeera reported.

The US believes that the ICC has no jurisdiction – this is something that it said back in May as well.

It is going to be coordinating with Israel as well as its international partners, it says, to discuss next steps

Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi says the International Criminal Court’s decision must be respected and implemented, adding the Palestinians deserved justice after what he termed Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

The French foreign ministry spokesman says that France’s reaction to the decision will be in line with the court’s statutes.

When asked during a news conference if France would arrest Netanyahu, Christophe Lemoine said it was a legally complicated question.

“It’s a point that is legally complex so I’m not going to comment on it today,” he said.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that the decision to issue these warrants was “not political”, and that the court’s decision should be “respected and implemented”.

Hamas welcomes the move

The Palestinian group says that the International Criminal Court’s issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister are an “important step towards justice”.

“[It is] an important step towards justice and can lead to redress for the victims in general, but it remains limited and symbolic if it is not supported by all means by all countries around the world,” Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim said in a statement.

Incoming top Trump aide warns ICC of ‘strong response’

Congressman Mike Waltz, who is set to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser, has slammed the court over the Netanyahu and Gallant arrest warrants.

“The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the US government,” Waltz wrote in a social media post.

“Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January.”

Trump will be inaugurated on January 20.

Numerous human rights organisations have documented horrific Israeli abuses in Gaza, including forced displacement, the targeting of civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war.

UN experts have also accused Israel of carrying out a genocide against Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, says it is time for the US government to penalise the ICC for its warrant against Netanyahu and Gallant.

The US House of Representatives had passed a bill in June to impose sanctions on court officials in June, but the measure has not been considered by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Amsterdam ready to act upon ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

The Netherlands is prepared to act upon the arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Netanyahu if needed, Dutch news agency ANP has reported, citing the country’s foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp.

If the Israeli leader comes to Dutch soil, he will be arrested, Veldkamp said in the House of Representatives, local outlet Nos reported.

The Netherlands will also avoid “non-essential” contact with Netanyahu and Gallant who were also issued arrest warrants by the ICC today.

“The Netherlands implements the Rome Statute 100 percent,” the foreign minister said.

The signatories of the Rome Statute and members of the ICC are bound to arrest the three if they travel to their country.

Ireland calls ICC arrest warrants ‘an extremely significant step’

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the ICC’s arrest warrants were a significant and serious step.

“The decision … is an extremely significant step,” Harris said in a statement. “These charges could not be more serious.”

“Ireland respects the role of the International Criminal Court. Anyone in a position to assist it in carrying out its vital work must now do so with urgency”, he added.

Ireland’s foreign ministry also said in a statement that states must respect the ICC’s “independence and impartiality, with no attempts made to undermine the court”.

The warrants issued today “follows the court’s determination that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the alleged crimes were committed” by Netanyahu and Gallant  the ministry’s statement added.

Ireland has long supported Palestinian statehood, going so far as to independently recognize it this May.