France, Norway approve ICC's action on Israel

Paris: France backs the International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Mohammed Deif, the military leader of Hamas, Yoav Gallant, the former Israeli defence minister, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The ICC's pre-trial chamber has accused Netanyahu and Gallant of committing "crimes against humanity and war crimes" between at least October 8, 2023 and May 20, 2024. Meanwhile, Mohammed Deif has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the territories of Israel and Palestine from at least October 7, 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

French foreign ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said during an online press conference that the Court is a "guarantee of international stability" and its orders must be exercised "in all situations."

"The fight against impunity is our priority," Lemoine told reporters, adding that France will continue to support the action of the ICC.

However, when asked if the Israeli Prime Minister would be arrested if he came to France, Lemoine did not give a clear answer, calling it a "legally complex" issue.

He also said that France, the host country of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is extremely concerned about the cultural heritages in Gaza and Lebanon which have been destroyed during the wars by Israel.

Meanwhile, Norway has also backed the ICC's action. The country's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said on Thursday: "The ICC plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability for serious crimes."

"It is important that the ICC carries out its mandate in a judicious manner. I have confidence that the Court will proceed with the case based on the highest fair trial standards," he added.

With inputs from IANS