AhlulBayt News Agency: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly canceled his plans to attend Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration at the Vatican, fearing potential arrest under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.
According to Ynet, Netanyahu’s decision followed behind-the-scenes negotiations between Israeli, Italian, and Vatican officials to determine whether he could enter Italy without facing detention.
However, responses from Italian and Vatican authorities remained ambiguous, leaving uncertainty over whether they would comply with the ICC’s warrant if Netanyahu arrived.
Faced with this uncertainty, Netanyahu’s office canceled the trip to avoid arrest or diplomatic embarrassment.
The ICC arrest warrant, though not publicly confirmed by the court, is reportedly linked to war crimes committed by Israel under Netanyahu’s leadership during the past 19 months of war on Gaza.
This marks another legal setback for Netanyahu as global outrage over Israel’s actions in Gaza continues to grow.
The inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV is expected to attract world leaders and dignitaries from across the globe.
Netanyahu’s absence highlights Israel’s diplomatic isolation following its genocidal war on Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
On November 21, 2024, after an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former minister of military affairs.
Israel, which rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction and denies war crimes in Gaza, is contesting the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
Documents published on the ICC website earlier this month revealed that Israel has requested judges to withdraw the arrest warrants and halt the investigation into atrocity crimes in Palestinian territories.
There are no specific deadlines for decisions on Israel’s request to withdraw the warrants or suspend the investigation.
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