UN says its officials could meet with Israel’s Netanyahu despite ICC arrest warrant

Despite no-contact rules, UN officials may still meet with Israel’s Netanyahu under limited circumstances, spokesman says

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Gaza Strip this week. Photo: GPO via AFP

Published: 7:20am, 22 Nov 2024Updated: 2:53pm, 22 Nov 2024

The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza does not bar United Nations officials from meeting him during their work, the UN said on Thursday.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Netanyahu have not spoken since the war started as a result of the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, although there have been contacts with the Israeli leader by UN officials in the region.

Guterres has been declared persona non grata by Israel, which accuses him of being biased in favour of the Palestinians. So talks between the UN chief and Netanyahu are very unlikely.

After the warrants issued on Thursday by the International Criminal Court against Netanyahu, former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas’ military chief Mohammed Deif, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said UN policy on contacts with people facing arrest warrants dates back to a document issued in 2013.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been declared persona non grata by Israel. File photo: TNS

“The rule is that there should not be any contacts between UN officials and individuals subject to arrest warrants,” Dujarric said.