Arrest warrant compliance against Netanyahu holds the stage at G7 Foreign Affairs. Borrell: “It is not a choice, but an obligation”

Brussels – After days of ambiguity from the West, the world’s seven greats are expected to issue a clear signal on the international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.  The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, pressed them at the G7 Foreign Affairs meeting in Fiuggi: For the EU 27, “there is no choice,” implementing the Hague Court decision “is an obligation.”

Upon his arrival at the summit, Borrell was clear that Washington may have a different position because the United States has never ratified the Rome Statute, the founding of the ICC, but “all members of the European Union have done so, and it is not something you can pick and choose.” There is no such thing as intermittent international law: “You cannot applaud when the Court goes against Putin and remain silent when it goes against Netanyahu,” Borrell continued. The cautious reactions of several Western governments—if not outright silence, chosen, for example, by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel—are “a typical example of the double standards for which we are so much criticized,” the outgoing head of European diplomacy burst out.

So far, the three EU countries in the G7 group have given enigmatic answers. France and Germany above all, while today the host, Antonio Tajani, admitted, “We are friends of Israel, but I think we have to respect international law.” Borrell’s goal is to return to Brussels with a unified message: “There is no alternative, I hope that in the end we will be able to say clearly that the Europeans will respect the obligations of international law.” At stake is the very credibility of the West, which cannot afford to brand as “political” the legal decision of an international court that, for the first time, sanctions members of a government of a “Western democracy”. At stake is the very credibility of the West, which cannot afford to brand as “political” the legal decision of an international court that, for the first time, sanctions members of a government of a “Western democracy”.

Truce between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Borrell: “There are no excuses”

The two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan in Fiuggi and Anagni inevitably focuses on the two major international crises, Ukraine and the Middle East. On the latter, not only the arrest warrant issued by the ICC but also the prospect of a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is holding the stage. All eyes are on Tel Aviv’s security cabinet meeting, which is expected to give the okay to the proposed Franco-American truce as early as this evening. The proposal “gives Israel all the security commitments it has asked for,” Borrell stressed, “there is no excuse to reject it.” Everything will depend on the political will of Netanyahu’s government.

The plan brokered by the Elysée and White House calls for a 60-day truce, during which Israeli forces would withdraw from South Lebanon and Hezbollah militants would withdraw north of the Litani River, about 25 km north of the Israeli border. The agreement calls for creating an implementation committee chaired by Washington and with the participation of Paris, to ensure a balance between the parties. Beirut has agreed that the United States will chair the ceasefire implementation monitoring committee but has specifically requested the presence of France. This is the point still under discussion because Israel does not want France to participate.

Recalling the 4,000 civilian casualties and large portions of southern Lebanon razed to the ground by Israeli shelling, Borrell intimated, “No more fighting, no more demands; I hope the Netanyahu government will accept the proposal.” The EU High Representative also calls for intellectual honesty from the G7 on Gaza, where “aid is totally prevented” by the Israeli army. “We have to tell the truth, let’s name things,” Borrell concluded.