NEW YORK, November 22, 2024 (WAFA) – United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated last night that UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his respect for the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

In a press briefing late Thursday, Dujarric was asked about the potential arrest of Netanyahu should he attend the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025. Dujarric clarified, "Our security teams are responsible for our protection and for safeguarding the building, not for arresting individuals."

Dujarric further explained that the impact of an ICC arrest warrant on an individual's participation in UN events depends on the country where the UN activities are held.

On Thursday, the ICC issued two international arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, accusing them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, which has lasted for over 413 days.

The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber rejected Israel's appeals regarding the court's jurisdiction, proceeding with the issuance of the arrest warrants. ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan urged both member and non-member states of the court to cooperate with the arrest warrants against the two Israeli officials. Several countries have reiterated their respect for the role and independence of the ICC.

The warrants were issued in response to requests made by Prosecutor Khan in May and again in August of this year, which sought accountability for the "war crimes and crimes against humanity" committed by the Israeli military in Gaza since the onset of the war on October 7, 2023.

The ongoing Israeli genocide has resulted in over 148,000 casualties, with the majority being women and children, and more than 10,000 people reported missing. 

M.N