Italy questions feasibility of ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

FIUGGI: Italy on Tuesday said there were “many doubts” about an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it was not feasible to arrest him as long as he remained in charge of the government.

Italy, which currently chairs the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies, hosted a foreign ministers meeting which issued a final statement that stopped short of directly mentioning the ICC warrants for the Israeli and Hamas leaders.

Foreign minister Antonio Tajani, who tried to forge a common G7 position on the issue, said Rome had many doubts on the legality of the mandates and clarity was needed on whether high state officials had immunity from the arrest.

“Netanyahu would never go to a country where he can be arrested,” Tajani told a news conference at the end of the two-day meeting Italy hosted in the spa town of Fiuggi.

“The arrest of Netanyahu is unfeasible, at least as long as he is prime minister,” he said.

The ICC issue sparked tension within Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition.

Defence minister Guido Crosetto said Rome would have to abide by its obligations and arrest Nethanyau if he came to Italy while Matteo Salvini – the leader of the coalition League party – said the Israeli leader would be welcome in the country.

The ICC move was strongly criticised by the United States, which along with Israel is not a member of the ICC.

The G7 statement urged Israel to “fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances” as it defends itself and stressed there could be “no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel”.

“We reiterate our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and will comply with our respective obligations,” said the G7 members, which besides Italy include the US, Canada, Japan, Britain, France and Germany.

Last week, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

Israel condemned the ICC decision as shameful and absurd. Hamas praised it as a step towards justice.