United Nations rapporteur Giorgos Katrougalos said that failure to implement the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Galant is a “violation of international law.”
The memorandum issued on November 21 accuses both Netanyahu and Gallant of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in light of the ongoing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip for more than a year.
Catrogalos pointed out – in an interview with Anadolu Agency – that the International Criminal Court’s decision to arrest the Israeli Prime Minister and his former Defense Minister “clearly shows that there are crimes being committed in Palestine.”
France previously claimed that International Criminal Resolutions cannot apply to heads of state and government, and claimed that the decision to arrest Netanyahu could not be implemented.
For his part, the UN rapporteur confirmed that he “did not hear such a statement from France when a similar accusation was made against Russian President Vladimir Putin,” wondering why.
French Foreign Minister Jean Barrot explained on November 27, according to Anadolu, that “Netanyahu can benefit from immunity under international law,” indicating that Paris’s position on the issue of international criminal law will not serve its interests nor the interests of Europe.
Obligatory arrest
Catrogalos pointed out that the mission of the International Criminal Court is to bring influential people and heads of government who commit crimes to justice, stressing that countries that will not implement the decision of the International Criminal Court “violate international legitimacy,” and that “any person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued must be arrested if he is present.” On the territory of a state that has signed and ratified the Rome Statute.”
He added, “Acting differently would be a new violation of international law, such as continuing to sell weapons to Israel,” pointing out that countries that do not adhere to international criminal resolutions “will be complicit in the crimes committed.”
Katrougalos stressed to Anatolia the need to protect the United Nations system, expressing his concern about Israel’s statements towards the international organization, and said, “The only thing that separates international law from complete chaos is the presence of the United Nations, and they must protect it at all costs.”
The court’s decision was issued after International Criminal Prosecutor Karim Khan announced last May 20, in a statement, that he was seeking to issue two arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of committing “war crimes.”
Last August, Khan also asked the court to expedite the issuance of arrest warrants against them, in light of Israel’s continued massacres in the Palestinian territories, ignoring the UN Security Council’s resolution to end the war immediately, and the orders of the International Court of Justice to take measures to prevent acts of genocide and improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation. In the Gaza Strip.
