ICC arrest warrant does not bar Netanyahu from UNGA speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September, defending Israel’s military actions in Iran, Gaza and other parts of the Middle East.

The address took place while an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes remains in force against Netanyahu.

Despite the warrant, the Prime Minister was not detained or prevented from travelling to the United Nations in New York. The BBC’s Nada Tawfik explains that the ICC lacks the authority to enforce arrests in countries that are not party to the Rome Statute, and the United States, where the UN headquarters is located, is not a signatory to the treaty.

Consequently, the United States does not have a legal obligation to arrest individuals subject to ICC warrants, allowing Netanyahu to attend the assembly without interference.

Source: BBC News. Photo: Connor Scott McManus / Pexels.