World leaders split over decision on Netanyahu

PARIS - Israel and its allies have denounced the International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue an arrest warrant on Nov 21 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Turkey and rights groups welcomed the move.

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China, which like Israel and the US is not a member of the ICC, urged the court to remain objective and fair.

The ICC also issued warrants for Israel's former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif.

The warrants were issued in response to accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza, set off by the militant Palestinian group's attack on Oct 7, 2023.

"The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is comparable to the modern-day Dreyfus trial - and it will end in the same way," Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.

He was referring to the 19th-century Alfred Dreyfus affair in which a Jewish army captain was wrongly convicted of treason in France before being exonerated.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement: "The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous.

"Let me be clear once again: Whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security."