Israel Urges Paris to Deny ICC Arrest Warrant Requests

Israel’s foreign minister urged France on Tuesday evening to condemn the request by the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor general for an arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister and his defense minister.

“I turn to my friend the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. Your support and the support of the French Government is essential in the face of this shameful and scandalous proposal by the Attorney General.”Israel Katz made the announcement during an event in Paris marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 76th anniversary of the State of Israel.

“Don’t Create a Balance”

“It is important that you announce loud and clear that the Attorney General’s proposal is shameful and therefore unacceptable to you and the French government.”, he said. Karim Khan called on Monday for arrest warrants to be issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and three Hamas leaders for crimes committed in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

In a press release issued overnight Monday to Tuesday, the French Foreign Ministry initially emphasized that “France supports the International Criminal Court, its independence and the fight against impunity in all circumstances”. On Tuesday afternoon, during questions in the National Assembly, Stéphane Sejourne clarified France’s position. “These simultaneous requests for arrest warrants should not create a level playing field between Hamas and Israel.”.

“On the one hand, you have a terrorist group that welcomed the October 7 attacks and that took responsibility for them (…) in a concrete way. On the other hand, you have a democratic country, Israel, that must respect international law in waging a war it did not start., he added. On Tuesday evening, Stéphane Séjourné reiterated that France had accepted its responsibilities by condemning the aggression. “unacceptable” October 7 in Israel by Hamas.

But still “France’s only course of action is peace”He said, adding that Israel would be “beneficiary too”. Israel Katz insists there will be no ceasefire in Gaza “All abducted people will not return”. The two ministers are scheduled to hold bilateral talks on Wednesday.