Borrell comments on ICC warrant for Netanyahu's arrest
Photo: Head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell
EU governments cannot choose whether to execute arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). This concerns Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, states EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, according to Reuters.
"The states that signed the Rome convention are obliged to implement the decision of the court. It's not optional," he said.
According to him, the same obligations are mandatory for countries seeking to join the EU.
"It would be very funny that the newcomers have an obligation that current members don't fulfil," Borrell remarked.
Arrest warrant for Netanyahu
On November 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
It is worth noting that all EU member states are signatories of the founding treaty of the ICC, the Rome Statute. Several EU countries have stated they will fulfill their obligations under the statute if necessary. Specifically, Canada's Ministry of Foreign Affairs hinted that they would arrest Netanyahu under the ICC warrant.
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Netanyahu to visit his country, assuring him that he would not face any risks related to arrest if he did so.
