Middle East: Orban to defy arrest warrant, invite Netanyahu – DW – 11/22/2024

Four Italian soldiers were lightly injured after two rockets exploded at United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) base in southern Lebanon, both UNIFIL and the Italian government said.

UNIFIL said the rockets had likely been shot by Hezbollah or affiliated groups, and that they caused “significant” damage to nearby infrastructure. 

Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she calls for both sides “to ensure the safety of UNIFIL soldiers at all times and to work together to quickly identify those responsible.”

Three medics were killed and three wounded in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry reports.

This comes as the conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group continues, despite the ongoing ceasefire negotiations brokered by the US.

The World Health Organization also said that 226 health workers have been killed and nearly 200 injured in Lebanon since October 7 last year when the Gaza-based Hamas group attacked Israel. Almost 70% of those have been killed since the escalation in fighting between Hezbollah and Israel this September.

Hanan Balkhy, WHO’s regional director for the eastern Mediterranean region, says the deaths of so many health workers “cripples a health system” when people need it most.

“Beyond the loss of life, the death of health workers is a loss of years of investment and a crucial resource to a fragile country going forward,” she said.

The British government said it would “comply with its legal obligations” but stopped short of pledging to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the UK.

Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutors claim the Israeli politician is responsible for war crimes in Gaza.

“The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman.

Asked whether Netanyahu would be arrested should he set foot in the UK, the spokesman said the British government is “not going to get into hypotheticals.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he would invite Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the country, thus defyingthe arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Orban called the ICC’s decision to issue warrants against Netanyahu, as well as former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, “outrageously brazen” and “cynical.”

“There is no choice here, we have to defy this decision,” the nationalist leader said in an interview with state radio. 

Netanyahu later thanked Orban, saying “faced with the shameful weakness of those who stood by the outrageous decision against the right of the State of Israel to defend itself, Hungary” is “standing by the side of justice and truth.”

Hungary previously said it would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin either, who is also wanted by the ICC.

Hungary is a member of the ICC and is obliged to act on an arrest warrant if someone wanted by the court sets foot on their territory.

Germany said it “took note” of the arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said while Germany is one of the International Criminal Court’s biggest supporters, it is also committed to its relationship with Israel, both as a result of the country’s history.

He said Berlin will not take further steps until the two Israeli leaders plan a visit to Germany.

Earlier, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbocktold public broadcaster ARD, “we are now, of course, examining exactly what that means for implementation in Germany.”

Germany is “bound by” the court as a country which recognizes the body and respects international law, she added.

China urged the International Criminal Court to remain objective and fair after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A foreign ministry spokesperson said the country “hopes the ICC will uphold an objective and just position,” as well as “exercising its powers in accordance with the law.”

The spokesperson also accused the United States of “double standards” for its opposition to the court’s pursuit of Netanyahu, but its support for a warrant against Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

“China consistently opposes certain countries only using international law when it suits them… and engaging in double standards,” he said.

Israel and Islamist organization Hezbollah traded deadly blows as their war raged despite signs of progress in the ceasefire talks, led by the US.

Israeli airstrikes hit southern suburbs of Beirut about a dozen times, with the Israeli military saying the strikes were against Hezbollah infrastructure.

In eastern Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed 22 people in five locations, and three more in the south, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. 

In Israel, a 30-year-old man was killed when shrapnel from a rocket struck a playground in the northern town of Nahariya, Israel’s MDA medical service said.

US mediator Amos Hochstein recently declared a ceasefire is “within our grasp,” but gaps still remain between the two sides.