EU's Borrell says ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant binding

The European Union's foreign policy chief says the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister are binding and all member states must execute them. 

The international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands, issued the warrants on Thursday against Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

Joseph Borrell said Saturday that the European governments cannot pick and choose whether to execute the arrest warrants.

“The states that signed the Rome convention are obliged to implement the decision of the court. It's not optional.”

All EU member states are signatories to the ICC's founding treaty, called the Rome Statute.

Those same obligations were also binding on countries aspiring to join the European bloc, Borrell said.

ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant for war crimes

The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant.

The United States, Israel’s staunch ally, rejected the court’s decision, while Netanyahu slammed the move as "an anti-Semitic step."

Borrell said every time someone disagrees with the policy of the Israeli regime, they will be accused of anti-Semitism.

The EU’s foreign policy chief said he had the right to criticize the decisions of Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, without being accused of anti-Semitism. “This is not acceptable. That's enough."

The Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, and Spain all said they would meet their commitments and obligations regarding the Rome Statute and international law.

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