In an interview with VRT television on Thursday evening, the Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said that if his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu were to come to Belgium, he would not be arrested. Mr De Wever was commenting on the state visit to Hungary by Mr Netanyahu. Just ahead of the visit the office of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that the country has initiated proceedings to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
Belgian PM says that Netanyahu would not be arrested if he came to Belgium either
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Although the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for Mr Netanyahu’s arrest for alleged war crimes, he is currently in Hungary where he is holding high-level meetings with Hungary’s leaders. Although, not all European countries are as sympathetic to the Israeli Prime Minister as Hungary is, Mr De Wever told VRT News that most of them would not arrest Mr Netanyahu if he went there as this “is hardly feasible ‘in terms of realpolitik”.
Furthermore, from a legal standpoint, there is currently a debate going on, explains Steven Dewulf, professor of international criminal law. This is because Israel does not recognise the ICC. Specifically, the legal debate is about whether Netanyahu can enjoy so-called “immunity” because Israel does not recognise the Criminal Court (ICC).
In Thursday evening’s interview, Mr De Wever said that: "There is such a thing as realpolitik. Within the framework of realpolitik, practical considerations prevail over ethical considerations. "I don't think there is a single European country that would arrest Mr Netanyahu if he went there. France, for example, wouldn’t and I don't think we would either."
Opposition outraged
According to the opposition Flemish green party Groen, with his comments Prime Minister De Wever has placed Belgium outside the rule of international law with his comments about Mr Netanyahu. Furthermore, the stance taken by the Federal PM had not been discussed with the the federal cabinet prior to the interview.
The issue was discussed at Friday morning’s meeting of the Inner Cabinet. The Flemish Christian democrats CD&V says that comments like those made by Mr De Wever undermine the international rules of international law and that 'cannot be the intention'. Two other federal coalition partners, the Flemish socialist party Vooruit and the Francophone centrist party Les Engagés also see the Prime Minister's statements as problematic.
The legal discussion, as explained by prof. Dewulf, was misrepresented in the initial version of this article. The article was therefore given an update.