France Supports ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas Leaders

France has expressed its support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the ICC prosecutor sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders of Hamas over alleged war crimes.

On Monday, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israel’s defence chief, Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders, including their chief, Yahya Sinwar.

France’s foreign ministry said, “France supports the International Criminal Court, its independence and the fight against impunity in all situations.”

This backing could create diplomatic challenges for countries that are members of the ICC, which includes nearly all European Union nations.

While U.S. President Joe Biden called the legal action against Israeli officials “outrageous,” France took a different stand. The French foreign ministry condemned Hamas’s “anti-Semitic massacres” on October 7 but also warned Israel about possible violations of international humanitarian law during its invasion of Gaza.

The ministry added that the decision to issue the arrest warrants would be up to the ICC’s pre-trial chamber, which will review the evidence presented by the prosecutor.

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne addressed the National Assembly on Tuesday, saying that the warrant requests should not equate Hamas with Israel. “On one side, you have a terrorist group that celebrated the October 7 attacks,” he said. “…and on the other side, you have a democracy, Israel, that must respect international law while conducting a war it did not start.”

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