European leaders give mixed reactions on Netanyahu’s war crimes arrest warrant
European leaders have given mixed reactions on whether they would respect or ignore the decision of the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
All 27 member states of the European Union, including Hungary, are part of the ICC. The court says that its members are required to detain suspects facing warrants if they step foot on their soil. However, in practice, the court has no way of enforcing this.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday that the court’s decision should be “respected and implemented” by member states.
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded that not only would he defy the court, but that he would extend an invitation to Netanyahu to travel to Budapest.
Orbán called the warrants “outrageously impudent” and “cynical.”
Despite Hungary’s resistance, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and France have signalled that they would respect the court’s decision and potentially arrest Netanyahu if he travelled to one of their countries.
Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Thursday that although it was “wrong” to compare Netanyahu and Gallant to Hamas, if the pair were to enter Italy, “we would have to arrest them”.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday that the court’s decision should be “respected and implemented” by member states.
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded that not only would he defy the court, but that he would extend an invitation to Netanyahu to travel to Budapest.
Orbán called the warrants “outrageously impudent” and “cynical.”
Despite Hungary’s resistance, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and France have signalled that they would respect the court’s decision and potentially arrest Netanyahu if he travelled to one of their countries.