Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at the Netzarim corridor, Israel's main military supply route that divides the Gaza Strip in two. (Credit: Israeli Government Press Office)
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that the arrest warrants issued on Thursday by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif must be “enforced.”
“This is not a political decision. It's a decision by a court, a court of justice, an international court of justice. And the court's decision must be respected and applied,” said Borrell at a press conference in Amman with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi.
On Thursday, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant “for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed at least from Oct. 8, 2023 until May 20, 2024.”
It also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of the armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas, “for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed on the territory of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine since at least Oct. 7, 2023,” the date of the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel from Gaza that triggered the current war.
The ICC's decision theoretically limits Benjamin Netanyahu's movements, since any of the court's 124 member states would be obliged to arrest him on its territory.
“This decision is binding, and all states, all states party to the statute of the court, including all members of the European Union, are obliged to implement this decision of the court,” Borrell said.
According to Israel, Deif was killed by a strike on July 13 in southern Gaza, but Hamas has denied his death.
Borrell, a former Spanish minister, is due to step down next month and will be replaced by former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.