France said it won't arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the International Criminal Court issuing a warrant for his arrest, claiming he is "immune."
On Wednesday, France's foreign ministry said since Israel was not party to the statutes of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Netanyahu held immunity as a sitting head of government, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Other nations have tried to use immunity claims to avoid arresting heads of state, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and Omar al-Bashir of Sudan. The ICC previously rejected such arguments, stating heads of state who haven't signed the court's founding Rome Statute are not immune to the court's rulings.
Article 27 of the Rome Statute that governs the ICC states that all wanted individuals are equal before the court, including heads of government or state.
"No international court has ever found that a head of state or high-ranking individual has immunity before it, and article 27 was meant to codify that principle," said Leila Sadat, a former ICC special advisor.
Last Thursday, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, citing crimes against humanity as the cause for arrest. These warrants stem from the ICC's investigation of the Israel-Hamas conflict following the events of Oct. 7, 2023.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to arrest Netanyahu if he were to travel to Canada, reiterating his nation's commitment to international law.
"As Canada has always said, it's really important that everyone abide by international law. This is something we've been calling on since the beginning of the conflict," Trudeau said. "We will abide by all of the regulations and rulings of the international courts."
The United Kingdom soon followed suit. A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street reiterated the U.K.'s commitment to international law, confirming that Netanyahu would be arrested if he were to set foot into the U.K.
"The government would fulfill its obligations under the act and indeed its legal obligations," said the spokesperson.
Originally published by Latin Times
