Outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) says Belgium will "assume its responsibility" and uphold the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"There can be no double standards," said De Croo. He reiterated Belgium's compliance with the ICC's arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and leader of Hamas' armed forces Mohammed Deif on 21 November. All three figures are wanted for "war crimes and crimes against humanity."
On Wednesday, Israel announced it would appeal the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. Deif, meanwhile, is missing and presumed dead but Hamas has not confirmed this.
De Croo's statements were in response to questioning by Belgian Workers' Party (PTB) MP Nabil Boukili in the Chamber on Thursday.
"Belgium supports the ICC," he said. "For our country, it is crucial that serious crimes do not go unpunished [...] It is important to confirm that Belgium, together with the more than 120 countries that have ratified the Rome Statute, must assume its responsibilities."
Je viens d'interroger le 1er ministre @alexanderdecroo si la belgique appliquera la décision de la CPI contre le 1er ministre israélien. Sa réponse est sans ambiguïté. Natanyahu sera arrêté si il met un pied sur le sol belge.
— Nabil Boukili (@N_Boukili) November 28, 2024
"I have just questioned the Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on whether Belgium will apply the ICC decision against the Israeli Prime Minister," Boukili posted on social media. "His answer was unambiguous. Netanyahu will be arrested if he sets foot on Belgian soil."
Neither Israel nor the United States are signatories of the Rome Statute. All 27 EU Member States are party to the ICC and are legally obliged to carry out an arrest if one of the individuals in questions enters their territory.
