Netanyahu cannot avoid international law: Former Italian Premier Conte

ROME

Former Italian Prime Minister and opposition leader Giuseppe Conte said the Israeli premier cannot avoid being submitted to international law, a day after the International Criminal Court prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s defense minister and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes.

“I don’t enter into the merits of the decisions and requests of an international court,” Conte told reporters in the northern Italian town of Forli. “But I say that as we applauded the request of an arrest warrant for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, now we acknowledge the request for Hamas leaders and surely Netanyahu, a democratically elected premier, cannot avoid international law rules, war crimes rules.”

On Monday, ICC’s Prosecutor Karim Khan said he was seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav gallant, Hamas’ chief in Gaza Yahya Sinwar; Mohammed Al-Masri, the commander-in-chief of the military wing of Hamas; and Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas' Political Bureau.

In a statement, Khan said that he had reasonable grounds to believe the five men bear criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have dismissed allegations of war crimes.

Separately, the permanent mission of Liechtenstein to the UN said it expressed its full support to the ICC’s decisions.

“Fully support the ICC and its independence in carrying out its mandate in all situations. All victims are equally entitled to justice, and all are equal before the law,” the Mission wrote on X.