Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Friday hinted at the possibility for Benjamin Netanyahu to travel to the Netherlands without risking arrest, despite the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). These statements qualify the previous position of Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, who affirmed last week that the Netherlands was fully cooperating with the ICC. “The most important thing is that we have obligations under the treaty (on which the ICC is based), and we respect them,” Schoof told a news conference. “With this in mind, we should consider how to act if the Prime Minister of Israel came to the Netherlands. There are possible scenarios, also within the framework of international law, in which he could come to the Netherlands without being arrested. “
Among the scenarios discussed is the possibility of Netanyahu visiting an international organization based in the Netherlands, such as the OPCW, the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons.
This position is part of a broader debate within the European Union. France has said that as prime minister of a state not signatory to the ICC statute, Netanyahu enjoys immunity. Italy also considered that his arrest would not be possible during his mandate.
The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, however, called on member states to respect the decisions of the ICC. “We cannot undermine the International Criminal Court. It is the only way to have global justice,” he insisted in Brussels.
For his part, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Netanyahu to his country, assuring him that he would not be arrested. The Netherlands, as host country of the ICC located in The Hague, is particularly concerned by these international legal obligations.
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