Egypt urges respecting int’l rulings, says no state should place itself above law

CAIRO – 24 November 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty stressed the importance of respecting rulings delivered by international judicial entities, a few days after the International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for war crimes.

During a press briefing alongside Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa in Cairo on Saturday, Abdelatty referenced “the recent ruling issued a few days ago,” emphasizing the necessity of respecting and upholding the value of the law.

The Egyptian foreign minister urged the adherence to all decisions made by international institutions and organizations, including the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, and judicial bodies, affirming that no state should consider itself above the law.

“It is unacceptable for a state to place itself above the law or to act unaccountably,” Abdelatty said.

“In a multilateral international framework, respect for international law and humanitarian law must be at the core,” Abdelatty said. “Otherwise, regrettably, the law of the jungle will prevail, which is untenable.”

ARREST WARRANTS

The ICC on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes committed during the Gaza war that erupted in October 2023.

Furthermore, the court issued an arrest warrant for senior Hamas official Mohammed Deif, whom Israel claims to have killed this year.

Following the ruling, the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell emphasized that all EU member states must adhere to the ICC's arrest warrants.

The war in Gaza has persisted for nearly 14 months, with Israeli forces killing 44,176 Palestinians to date and injuring nearly 104,500 others to date, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

The war has also devastated critical infrastructure and pushed the enclave toward the brink of famine.