West rift in open: France backs ICC warrant bid against Bibi

JERUSALEM: Israel sought Tuesday to contain the fallout from a request by the chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court for arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, a move supported by three European countries, including key ally France.
Belgium, Slovenia and France each said Monday they backed the decision by International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan, who accused Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence minister and three Hamas leaders of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.While no one faces imminent arrest, the announcement deepens Israel's global isolation at a time when it is facing growing criticism from even its closest allies over the war in Gaza. Support for the warrants from three European Union countries also exposes divisions in the West's approach to Israel.
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz headed to France on Tuesday in response, and his meetings there could set the tone for how countries navigate the warrants - if they are eventually issued - and whether they could pose a threat to Israeli officials. Israel still has the support of its top ally, the US, as well as other Western countries that spoke out against the decision. But if the warrants are issued, they could complicate international travel for Netanyahu and Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, even if they do not face any immediate risk of prosecution because Israel itself is not a member of the court.
The prosecutor also requested warrants for Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh. Hamas is already considered a global terrorist group .
As Israeli officials came to grips with the prosecutor's decision, violence continued in the region, with an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank killing at least seven Palestinians, including a local doctor.
In a statement Monday night about the warrant requests, France said it "supports the International Criminal Court, its independence, and the fight against impunity in all situations." "France has been warning for many months about the imperative of strict compliance with international humanitarian law and in particular about the unacceptable nature of civilian losses in the Gaza Strip and insufficient humanitarian access," said the statement from France, which has a large Jewish community and close trade and diplomatic ties with Israel. Belgian foreign minister Hadja Lahbib said that "crimes committed in Gaza must be prosecuted at the highest level, regardless of the perpetrators." Experts warned any warrants could complicate relations between Israel and even allies that condemned the move. Yuval Kaplinsky, a former senior official in Israel's justice ministry, said nations that are party to the court would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu or Gallant if they visit, although he said some of those countries might find legal loopholes that could help them avoid that.