By Nur Asena Erturk
France on Friday said it had taken note of the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and the former minister over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
This is not a ruling but just a formalization of an accusation, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“France takes note of this decision,” the statement read, adding that France was “true” to its long-hauled commitment to support “international justice,” reiterating Paris’ attachment to the court’s independent work.
The ministry renewed its call for the protection of civilians in Gaza, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and a durable cease-fire “to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine had avoided giving a direct response to a question about the warrants in a news conference on Thursday.
He said the topic was “legally complex,” and avoided saying whether France would implement the warrants.
“We support the court prosecutor’s action who acts in all independence … and the fight against impunity is our priority. We bring continued support to the ICC’s action, our reaction will align with those principles,” Lemoine added.
Israel’s genocidal offensive in Gaza continues since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, and has since killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
The onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the enclave, and a blockade has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, pushing the population to the brink of starvation.