The Prime Minister made this declaration on Tuesday before the National Assembly at a time when the other G7 countries, with the exception of the United States, were also committing in the same direction.
Ques“French Prime Minister Michel Barnier reaffirmed this Tuesday, November 26 that France “will rigorously apply (…) the obligations incumbent upon it” regarding the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “France will rigorously apply, as it has always done, its obligations under international law” declared the head of government before the National Assembly, without however explicitly saying whether Paris would arrest the Israeli leader if he went to French territory.
The President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet estimated this Tuesday that, as a signatory to the statute of the International Criminal Court, France “must follow the rules” and arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to French territory.
“Hypothetical question”
The International Criminal Court, which Israel has not joined and from which the United States has withdrawn, issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defense minister Yoav Gallant and the leader of the armed wing of Palestinian Hamas Mohammed Deif for war crimes and crimes against humanity. “This Court operates (…) independently, an independence to which we, the French Republic, are very attached”added Michel Barnier. “We therefore do not have to comment on these decisions, either to support or to condemn”.
Paris had “taken note” Thursday of these arrest warrants, recalling “his attachment to the independent work of the Court” but without explicitly saying whether France would arrest these people if they came to France.
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Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also remained ambiguous on France's position, recalling on Sunday that “France will always apply international law”. Asked on France 3 whether Netanyahu would be arrested if he went to France, the French minister said: “That’s a hypothetical question that I don’t have to answer as long as it’s hypothetical.”
Italy and the United Kingdom, on the other hand, immediately announced that they would respect their commitment to the ICC. Conversely, Hungary invited the head of the Israeli government as a sign of defiance.
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