Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Friday mentioned there could possibly be choices for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to go to the Netherlands with out being arrested, regardless of the Worldwide Felony Court docket’s (ICC) arrest warrant in opposition to him.
His phrases appeared to tone down a earlier stance by his international minister Caspar Veldkamp, who final week in parliament mentioned the Netherlands absolutely cooperates with the ICC, explaining that meant “we act on arrest warrants for people who find themselves on Dutch territory”.
Schoof on Friday mentioned there have been nonetheless eventualities throughout the Netherlands’ duties in direction of the ICC wherein Netanyahu wouldn’t be arrested, relying on the rationale of his go to.
“An important factor is that we’ve got obligations that come from the treaty (on which the ICC relies), and that we comply to them,” Schoof mentioned at a information convention.
“In gentle of that, we must see how we act when the prime minister of Israel have been to come back to the Netherlands. There are potential eventualities, additionally inside worldwide regulation, wherein he would be capable of come to the Netherlands with out being arrested.”
Schoof didn’t elaborate on the circumstances below which Netanyahu might come. Final week he mentioned it is perhaps potential for Netanyahu to go to a world group positioned within the Netherlands, such because the U.N. watchdog for chemical weapons OPCW, with out being arrested.
The Netherlands can be host nation to the ICC, which is positioned in The Hague.
The ICC issued arrest warrants final week for Netanyahu, his former defence chief Yoav Gallant and a Hamas chief, for alleged struggle crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity within the Gaza battle.
Although all EU member states are signatories to the ICC’s founding treaty, France mentioned on Wednesday it believed Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the ICC, given Israel has not signed as much as the courtroom statutes.
Italy has mentioned it’s not possible to arrest Netanyahu so long as he stays head of Israel’s authorities.
Israel, which launched its offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’s lethal assault on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, has mentioned it can enchantment in opposition to the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
This text was produced by Reuters information company. It has not been edited by World South World.
