 "Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks as he and US President Donald Trump (not pictured) meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, on October 7, 2025. Reuters File")
The Israeli government on Tuesday urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to retract his commitment to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit Canada.
“We believe that Prime Minister Carney should, of course, reconsider this and welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of the only Jewish state and democratic country in the Middle East, to Canada,” Reuters quoted Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian as saying to reporters.
On Monday, Carney publicly said that Canada would enforce the ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
Speaking to Mishal Husain on The Mishal Husain Show by Bloomberg, Carney confirmed that if Netanyahu entered Canada, he would be arrested in compliance with the ICC order.
On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli leader Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Gaza conflict.
The charges include the alleged use of starvation as a method of warfare and other inhumane acts. The decision marked a historic precedent, as it was the first time the ICC had issued a warrant for the leader of a Western-backed democratic nation.
As a member of the ICC, Canada is legally bound to comply with the court’s rulings, including the execution of arrest warrants.
Prime Minister Carney’s statement affirmed Canada’s commitment to its international legal obligations and underscored the country’s support for the rule of law and accountability in global governance.
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