The revelation by the Israeli dailies Haaretz and Maariv of an exchange of favors between France and Israel has raised a major controversy. According to these sources, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a guarantee of “immunity” from the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), in exchange for his signing of the ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
This affair casts a shadow over France’s position, accused of sacrificing its legal principles for diplomatic interests.
A violation of international obligations
The ICC arrest warrant, made public last week, accuses Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to operations in the Gaza Strip. As a state party to the ICC treaty, France is legally obliged to apprehend and surrender any individual targeted by such a warrant present on its territory. Nevertheless, by citing “immunity issues,” French diplomacy appears to be circumventing this obligation, sparking outrage among human rights defenders.
Amnesty International reacted strongly, recalling “France’s fundamental obligations” as a State Party to the ICC. For its part, Human Rights Watch described this stance as “shocking and dishonouring” for a nation historically committed to promoting international justice.
A weakened France on the international stage
Under Emmanuel Macron, France seems to have lost the diplomatic neutrality that made its strength and respect on a global scale. This choice to interpret the ICC Statutes to avoid a confrontation with Israel weakens the credibility of Paris and the court itself. The precedents thus created risk encouraging other leaders accused of serious violations to consider international law as negotiable.
Moreover, this “arrangement” with Netanyahu comes at a time when Lebanon had insisted on the presence of France as a mediator in the talks. According to Haaretz, Netanyahu threatened to exclude Paris from the talks if his demands were not met, an ultimatum that France accepted, compromising its traditional neutrality.
A decision with serious consequences
This affair is not restricted to the sole issue of the arrest warrant. According to the Axios website, other sensitive points were examined, including Israel’s freedom to respond militarily to any violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah. Initially considered unacceptable by Lebanon, this condition was finally adopted after an intervention by Macron, who reportedly changed his position under pressure from the United States.
According to sources cited by Haaretz, the Biden administration threatened to impose an arms embargo on Israel if the agreement was not signed. These cross-pressures place Emmanuel Macron in an uncomfortable position, where pragmatism and renunciation seem to merge.
Diplomacy to be redefined
By aiming to accommodate Israel and maintain its influence in the negotiations in Lebanon, France risks losing its moral leadership on the international stage. This erosion of diplomatic objectivity not only undermines Paris’ credibility but also weakens the ICC as an instrument of global justice.
In a context where human rights are increasingly threatened, this complacent posture could encourage other violations and make international justice even more fragile.
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