Belgium’s Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, made a controversial statement on Thursday, declaring that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were to visit Belgium, he would not be arrested, defying ICC’s decision to arrest him along with other Israeli officials.
Speaking to VRT television, De Wever dismissed the arrest decision, emphasizing that practical considerations outweigh ethical concerns in international diplomacy. He explained, “There is such a thing as realpolitik. Within that framework, practical considerations prevail over ethical ones.” He further added, “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.” De Wever’s comments came as Hungary announced it was in the process of withdrawing from ICC just before Netanyahu’s upcoming state visit, stirring more debate about Europe’s approach to war crimes and accountability.
