AA / Paris / Ümit Dönmez
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) indicated that the country would respect its obligation of cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) if Benyamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, were to visit its territory.
In a response to the daily Le Temps, the OFJ specified that Switzerland “should in principle arrest Benyamin Netanyahu or the other defendants upon their possible arrival in Switzerland”. Such a measure would only apply in the event that a valid arrest warrant issued by the ICC, or a request for arrest based on this warrant, is transmitted to the Swiss Confederation.
These statements follow the official issuance of arrest warrants by the ICC on Thursday against Benyamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif. These warrants concern charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The ICC’s announcement sparked contrasting reactions internationally. While some member states of the Court have expressed support for this judicial approach, other countries, including Israel, reject the jurisdiction of the Hague-based institution. Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC.
– Position of France: “a legally complex question”
As a reminder, France renewed its support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the issuance of arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. These warrants, issued on November 21, 2024, concern charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Palestine between October 8, 2023 and May 20, 2024.
During the press briefing at the Quai d’Orsay, Thursday, November 21, spokesperson Christophe Lemoine recalled the importance of international justice to guarantee global stability. “The fight against impunity is our priority,” he declared, while emphasizing that France fully supports the independence and impartiality of the ICC prosecutor.
Concerning the possibility of an arrest of Benyamin Netanyahu in France, he replied that it was a “legally complex question” requiring in-depth analysis.
– Humanitarian situation in Gaza
The conflict between Israel and Hamas, triggered on October 7, 2023 by an attack by the Palestinian movement, led to an Israeli declaration of war against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
This response, marked by airstrikes and a ground invasion, caused a catastrophic human toll: more than 45,000 dead, the majority of them children and women, as well as more than 104,000 injured. The massive destruction left hundreds of thousands of people homeless.
At the same time, South Africa has filed a complaint against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over accusations of genocide in Gaza.
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