Israel Urges Canadian PM To Cancel His 'Promise' To Arrest Netanyahu On ICC's Order

JAKARTA - Israel urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to cancel his promise to honor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) if he visited the country.

In an interview with Bloomberg published last week, Carney was asked if he would fulfill his predecessor's commitment, Justin Trudeau, to arrest Netanyahu on charges of war crimes if he came to Canada.

Carney replied "yes".

"We believe Prime Minister Carney should of course reconsider this and welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the only leader of the Jewish state and democracy in the Middle East, to Canada," Israeli government spokesman Shosh Bedrosian told reporters. , Tuesday, October 21.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant last year for Netanyahu on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

Israel rejects the jurisdiction of the court based in The Hague and denies war crimes in Gaza.

Bedrosian said Canada's decision to recognize the Palestinian state was a "gift for terrorism" and "only added to the fire of antisemitism in Canada".