Egypt Daily News – The European Union’s foreign policy official, Josep Borrell, stressed today, Saturday, that the Union governments cannot selectively deal with the arrest orders issued by the International Criminal Court against the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, as well as the commander of Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, Muhammad al-Deif.
He said during a visit to Cyprus to attend a meeting with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, “The countries that signed the Rome Convention are obligated to implement the court’s decision. This is not optional.”
He also added that countries looking to join the European Union are also obligated to implement this decision, according to Reuters.
While he pointed out, “It would be very funny if the newcomers had an obligation that the current members did not fulfill.”
“The right to criticize”
Borrell, whose term ends this month, also added: “Every time someone disagrees with the policy of a particular Israeli government, he is accused of anti-Semitism.”
While he stressed: “I have the right to criticize the decisions of the Israeli government, whether by Netanyahu or anyone else, without being accused of anti-Semitism. This is unacceptable. This is enough.”
Crimes against humanity and war crimes
The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, had announced in a statement, on Thursday, that “the Chamber issued arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant in cases of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Gaza between October 8, 2023 and at least May 20, 2024, the date of The Public Prosecution submitted requests to issue arrest warrants,” adding that an arrest warrant was also issued against the guest.
All EU member states are signatories to the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, called the Rome Statute. Several EU countries said they would fulfill their obligations under the statute if necessary.
But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Netanyahu to visit his country and assured him that he would not face any risks if he did so.
The United States also rejected the International Criminal Court’s decision, and Israel described it as anti-Semitic.
