''A complete victory over the court' • France: Netanyahu is entitled to immunity from arrest warrant

November 27, 2024   

The complete victory: The French government officially announced today (Wednesday) that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be eligible for immunity from the arrest warrants issued against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. A statement from the French government stated that Paris intends to "continue to work closely with Netanyahu." According to a report in Kan News, the background to the Elysee Palace's announcement is related to France's involvement in the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon and the Israeli agreement that Paris would be involved in the agreement's enforcement mechanism. Behind the scenes, senior Israeli officials were involved in pressuring France to make such an announcement publicly. The United States even made it clear to the French: "If you do not declare that Netanyahu will not be arrested, Paris will not be able to be part of the agreement." Earlier today, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel-Breau hinted in an interview with the France Info television channel. Because it is possible that "certain leaders" may receive immunity from prosecution at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Commentator Amit Segal responded: "A complete victory over the International Court of Justice. The only significant sanction that Israel feared is crumbling, and even more so in the hands of the French. As you may recall, this is not a matter of personal interest for Netanyahu and Galant. An arrest warrant was not issued against them for tax evasion, but rather because he was the Prime Minister of Israel. The sterilisation of the warrants against them is a very significant event and the interception of another formidable weapon that has been aimed at Israel for years and has hindered its steps.".