Borrell: EU States Must Comply with Warrant for Israeli PM

"The United States is in a completely different position, as it is not a signatory to the Rome Statute. That is understandable. However, all EU member states are signatories, ” Borrell said at a G7 foreign ministers meeting near Rome on Nov. 26.

The ICC issued arrest warrants last week for Netanyahu, his former defense chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

“You cannot applaud the ICC when it acts against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and then remain silent when it takes action against Netanyahu. This is a clear example of the double standards we are often accused of,” the EU top diplomat expressed.

Last year, the court issued a warrant for Putin on charges that he was responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

Borrell urged EU countries to fulfill “their commitments to international law.”

"Whether you agree with it or not, the ICC holds the same authority as any national court. If Europeans fail to back the ICC, there will be no hope for justice."

Countries such as Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany have expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, with some suggesting they may not follow through on implementing it.

In a statement on Nov. 25, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that the Group of Seven democracies are seeking a common position on the arrest warrant.

"We need to be united on this," Tajani said after hosting the first working session of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers from G7 nations.

On the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Borrell said Tel Aviv has no reason to turn down a proposed ceasefire with Lebanon.

Israel is preparing to decide whether to accept the proposed ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah, after long-running hostilities flared into all-out war in late September.

"There is a proposal on the table, brokered by the U.S. and by France, which gives Israel all the security commitments they were asking for. There is no excuse to reject this proposal," Borrell said.

"I heard voices from the extremist ministers of the Israeli government willing to continue the fight, willing to continue the bombing," Borrell told journalists in Fiuggi.

"Let's hope that today Netanyahu's government will approve the ceasefire agreement... No more excuses. No more additional requests. Stop this fighting. Stop killing people,” he said.

Israel's security cabinet was due to meet yesterday to vote on a proposed ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, an official said, while the White House voiced optimism that a deal was close.

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz told the U.N.'s Lebanon envoy yesterday that any breach of a ceasefire deal that the security cabinet is set to vote on would result in Israel acting "forcefully.”

"If you do not act, we will do it, forcefully," Katz told envoy Janine Hennis-Plasschaert when meeting her in Tel Aviv, adding Israel would have "zero tolerance" when defending its security interests in the future, according to a statement from his office.

Source: Reuters