The G7 foreign ministers, who are meeting on Monday and Tuesday near Rome, will discuss the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), notably against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In addition to Netanyahu, the arrest warrants target his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as the head of the armed wing of Hamas, Mohammed Deif – for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel.
The ICC accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of using starvation as a method of warfare, murder, persecution and targeting civilians. "The alleged crimes against humanity were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza," the court said.
'Objective, not political'
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the current president of the G7, said the G7 ministers will discuss the matter, after her Defence Minister declared on Thursday that Italy should arrest Netanyahu if he visits Italy.
"The Italian Presidency of the G7 intends to put this issue on the agenda of the next ministerial meeting, which will be held in Fiuggi from 25 to 26 November," she announced on Friday evening.
Meloni added that she would "examine in greater depth (...) the reasons that led to this decision by the International Criminal Court", reasons "that should always be objective and not political in nature."
"One point remains clear to this government: there can be no equivalence between the responsibilities of the State of Israel and the terrorist organisation Hamas," she stressed.
This clarification comes after contradictory statements from some of her ministers: Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday that Italy would be "obliged to arrest" Netanyahu and Gallant if they came to Italy.
Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pictured in Brussels, Thursday 26 October 2023. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
Besides Italy, the G7 includes France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States and Canada – and the European Union is represented at all meetings as well. Only the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that forms the basis of the ICC.
Reactions to the arrest warrants have been divided. A majority of EU Member States have stated that they respect the ICC's decision, although Germany's silence is remarkable.
Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Spain, amongst others, have declared that they support the warrants. The United States and countries such as Hungary reacted disapprovingly. Austria and Eastern European countries are also critical of the decision.
