Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Mark Carney confirmed that he would uphold his predecessor Justin Trudeau's decision to arrest Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu should he enter Canada, in accordance with the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant
Mark Carney. File pic
Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Mark Carney confirmed that he would uphold his predecessor Justin Trudeau's decision to arrest Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu should he enter Canada, in accordance with the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, news agency ANI reported.
Carney made the confirmation during an interview with Bloomberg on Sunday. When asked directly if he would be prepared to arrest Netanyahu, he answered simply, "Yes."
On the issue of Palestinian statehood, Carney affirmed, "The end goal is a free and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel." He criticised the Netanyahu administration, stating, "The actions of the Netanyahu government were explicitly designed to end any possibility of a State of Palestine, in violation of the UN Charter and contrary to Canadian government policy, which has remained consistent since 1947."
Addressing opposition from the United States, Carney acknowledged, "Yes, the US disagrees with the decision that we took, that Spain took, that France took, the United Kingdom took, [and that] 150 other countries in the UN have taken, but our common objective is the same."
The Canadian PM’s remarks came after the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered under former US President Donald Trump's Peace Plan, which highlighted ongoing regional tensions.
According to The Jerusalem Post, there are currently no indications that Netanyahu or Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will have their International Criminal Court (ICC) records cleared as part of a political gesture, such as a reward for ending the conflict or in exchange for an apology. While such ideas had been discussed under "transitional justice," they have largely been abandoned in recent years.
The Jerusalem Post further noted that if Netanyahu loses power in the 2026 elections, his legal exposure could increase, as some countries offer sitting heads of state immunity from prosecution, which may expire once they leave office.
Although the ICC’s Appeals Chamber weakened the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant in April, the cases remain active. Legal filings submitted during the summer suggest that the warrants are likely to be upheld, with a final ruling possibly expected soon, keeping the spotlight on Israeli leadership.
(With ANI inputs)
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