 "'Will arrest Netanyahu if he arrives in Ireland': PM Simon Harris")
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris on Friday said that Ireland will arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he ever arrives in the country after the ICC issued a warrant against him.
Asked by state broadcaster RTE if Ireland would arrest the Israeli prime minister if he came to Ireland, Harris said: “Yes, absolutely.”
“We support international courts and we apply their warrants,” he added.
The International Criminal Court on November 21 issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas officials. Israel has been accused of war crimes in Gaza while Hamas officials have been blamed for the October 7 attack.
World leaders are divided on ICC’s recent move with one section condemning it while the other supports the top court’s decision. US President Joe Biden called the warrant “absurd”, saying, “Whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas.”
Similarly, Argentina’s President Javier Milei said his country “declares its deep disagreement” over ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
Can Ireland arrest Netanyahu?
Yes, Ireland can detain the Israeli prime minister as it is part of the 124 States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC.
PM Harris told RTE that Ireland would also execute the warrant against Hamas’ Mohammad Deif. The ICC has not been able to determine whether he was dead or alive.
Who else has backed ICC?
Apart from Ireland, European Union’s Josep Borrell supported the court’s decision in issuing the arrest warrant against the Israeli leaders, saying that it is not “politically motivated” and that it “should be respected and implemented.”
Belgium’s foreign ministry said, “The fight against impunity wherever crimes are committed is a priority for Belgium, which fully supports the work of the [ICC]”.
“It’s really important that everyone abide by international law,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
With inputs from agencies
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