According to our information, the Israeli Prime Minister had a telephone conversation with the President of the Republic last week discussing the subject of his arrest warrant issued by the ICC.
After the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Benyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister expressed his anger during a phone call to Emmanuel Macron last week, according to information from RMC.
On the phone, Benyamin Netanyahu, targeted for war crimes and crimes against humanity (like his former defense minister Yoav Gallant), tried to lobby for France not to apply the ICC decision. The 124 signatory states of the ICC, including France, are in fact required to arrest any person targeted by an arrest warrant, if they come to their soil.
Officially, Emmanuel Macron did not comment on the subject but according to consistent sources, the President replied that France would respect international law, while adding that the judge could decide to grant immunity to the leaders of state.
“France will always apply international law”
For his part, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot remained very ambiguous on France's position, also recalling that “France will always apply international law.” Asked on France 3 on Sunday whether Benyamin 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.”
The Israeli press considers this phone call between Emmanuel Macron and Benyamin Netanyahu to be decisive, as Lebanon and Israel are on the verge of reaching a ceasefire agreement. At a time when relations between Benyamin Netanyahu and Emmanuel Macron have deteriorated, the Israeli Prime Minister would have shown his reluctance regarding the involvement of Paris in the negotiations.
After the ICC's decision, several countries quickly affirmed that they would comply with the rule: Ireland, the Netherlands and even Belgium. The United States, which is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court, described the arrest warrants as “scandalous”.
This Tuesday, November 26, Michel Barnier reaffirmed that France “will rigorously apply (…) the obligations incumbent on it” with regard to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“France will rigorously apply, as it has always done, the obligations incumbent upon it under international law” declared the head of government before the National Assembly, without however explicitly saying whether Paris would carry out the arrest of the Israeli leader if he went to French territory.
Hélène Terzian (edited by JA)
