Nigeria TV Info — Israel Urges Canada to Reconsider ICC Arrest Pledge Against Netanyahu

Israel has called on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to withdraw his commitment to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to visit Canada.

The request followed Carney’s recent interview with Bloomberg, where he reaffirmed his intention to honor the pledge made by his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, to uphold the ICC’s warrant. When directly asked whether he would order Netanyahu’s arrest if the Israeli leader entered Canada, Carney responded, “Yes.”

In reaction, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian urged Carney to “reconsider” his stance, describing Netanyahu as “the leader of the only Jewish state and democratic country in the Middle East.” Bedrosian added, “We believe that Prime Minister Carney should, of course, reconsider this and welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to Canada.”

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu last year, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Israel has consistently rejected the court’s jurisdiction, asserting that its military operations comply with international law and labeling the allegations as baseless.

The situation highlights growing tension between Canada’s commitment to international legal obligations and Israel’s stance defending its leaders and military actions.