Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he will arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot on Canadian soil.
Earlier in the day, the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, saying in a news release regarding the war in Gaza, “[T]here are reasonable grounds to believe that each has committed the war crime of using starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, as a direct perpetrator, acting jointly with others.
“The Chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that they are each responsible for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against civilians as a superior.”
The court also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commander-in-chief of Hamas, citing “reasonable grounds to believe that he is responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder, extermination, torture, and rape and other forms of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture, taking hostages, outrages upon personal dignity, and rape and other forms of sexual violence.”
However, the Israeli Defense Force confirmed the killing of the Hamas leader in July, so the ICC issued an arrest warrant against a dead man, The Jerusalem Post reported.
On Thursday, a reporter asked Trudeau whether he would allow Netanyahu or Gallant to be arrested if either came to Canada, “Or will you step in to prevent an arrest?”
“First of all, as Canada has always said, it’s really important that everyone abide by international law. This is something we’ve been calling on from the beginning of the conflict,” he said.
Trudeau then pointed out that Canada is a founding member of the International Criminal Court, which is the world’s top war crimes court.
“We stand up for international law and we will abide by all the regulations and rulings of the International Criminal Courts. This is just who we are as Canadians,” he said.
Do you support Netanyahu?
He finished by saying that Canada would continue to push for a cease-fire and a two-state solution to the conflict.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday that “we fundamentally reject” the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, which includes Netanyahu.
“We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutors’ rush to seek arrest warrants,” she continued. “The United States has been clear that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter.”
White House press sec. Karine Jean-Pierre says the U.S. “fundamentally rejects” the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutors’ rush to seek arrest warrants.” https://t.co/AX5O06DR8z pic.twitter.com/qJPlkX4md8
— ABC News (@ABC) November 21, 2024
The Associated Press reported that neither the U.S. nor Israel is a member of the ICC.
Netanyahu denounced the warrant issued against him, saying in a statement that Israel “utterly rejects the false and absurd charges” by the court.
“No war is more just than the war Israel has been waging in Gaza,” he added.
The antisemitic decision of the international court in The Hague is a modern Dreyfus trial, and it will end the same way. pic.twitter.com/e1l8PMghrB
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) November 21, 2024
Netanyahu refuted the specific allegations in video remarks published later in the day on social media, saying Israel has not deliberately targeted civilians and has allowed 700,000 tons of food to be delivered to feed Gazans.
“These supplies are routinely looted by Hamas terrorists, who deprive their people of much-needed food,” he said.
“What is God’s name are they talking about in The Hague?” Netanyahu asked.
“Israel will not recognize the validity of this decision,” the prime minister declared. “We will continue to do everything we must do to defend our citizens and defend our state.”
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