Israel appeals ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu and his former defense minister

MADRID 27 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Israeli authorities announced this Wednesday that they have submitted a notice to the International Criminal Court (ICC) with their intention to appeal the arrest warrant issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes of war within the framework of the offensive launched against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Thus, the prime minister’s office has reported its request to “delay the execution of the arrest warrants”, and has highlighted that the letter to the CFI “reveals in detail how implausible and without any factual or legal basis the decision was.” to issue arrest warrants” against Netanyahu and Gallant.

“To the extent that the court rejects the appeal, this will further illustrate to Israel’s friends in the United States and the world how biased the International Criminal Court is against the State of Israel,” the Israeli prime minister’s office said. on his official profile on social networks.

The Israeli authorities have expressed themselves in these terms after Netanyahu met this Wednesday with US Senator Lindsey Graham, who reported on “a series of measures” that Republicans are promoting in the US Congress against the ICC. .

“The State of Israel renounces the authority of the International Criminal Court and the legitimacy of the arrest warrants issued against the prime minister and the former defense minister,” Netanyahu’s office highlighted.

The arrest warrants were issued against Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated within the framework of the military offensive launched more than a year ago against the Gaza Strip in response to the attacks carried out on October 7, 2023. by Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

Following this, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stressed that they are “binding”, although some countries in the bloc have shown a cautious stance or have even openly said that They would not arrest Netanyahu, as in the case of Hungary, or France, which this Wednesday indicated that Netanyahu would have “immunity” if he traveled to the country.