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Reactions to the ICC warrants

An exterior view of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, 21 November 2024. EPA/REMKO DE WAAL
An exterior view of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, 21 November 2024. EPA/REMKO DE WAAL
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Reactions to the ICC warrants

An exterior view of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, 21 November 2024. EPA/REMKO DE WAAL
An exterior view of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, 21 November 2024. EPA/REMKO DE WAAL

These are reactions to the International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Ibrahim al-Masri, who is believed to be dead.

The warrants are for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel's military campaign in Gaza since then.

ISRAEL:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office:
"Israel rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions leveled against it by ICC," the office said, calling the move antisemitic.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog:
"The decision chose the side of terrorism and evil over democracy and freedom and turned the international justice system itself into a human shield for Hamas' crimes against humanity."

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar:
"A dark moment for the International Criminal Court," Saar said, adding the court had "lost all legitimacy" and adding that it had issued "absurd orders without authority".

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid:
"Israel defends its life against terrorist organizations that attacked, murdered and raped our citizens, these arrest warrants are a reward for terrorism."

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich:
"Israel will continue to defend its citizens and its security with determination," he said, urging Netanyahu to sever contact with the court and impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority and its leaders "to the point of its collapse".

Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir:
"The International Criminal Court in The Hague shows once again that it is antisemitic through and through."

PALESTINIANS:

Hamas official statement:
"We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to all criminal occupation leaders."

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim:
"This is an important step on the path to justice and bringing justice to the victims but it remains a limited and spiritual step if it is not backed practically by all countries."

UNITED STATES:
Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President-elect Trump: "The Court is a dangerous joke. It is now time for the US Senate to act and sanction this irresponsible body."

EUROPE:
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the ICC warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are not political and the court decision should be respected and implemented.

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told parliament, "The Netherlands obviously respects the independence of the ICC," adding: "We won't engage in non-essential contacts and we will act on the arrest warrants. We fully comply with the Rome Statute of the ICC," he added.

France's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said the French reaction to the warrants would be "in line with ICC statutes" but declined to say whether France would arrest the leader if he came to the country. "It's a point that is legally complex," he said.

Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, "It is important that the ICC carries out its mandate in a judicious manner. I have confidence that the court will proceed with the case based on the highest fair trial standards."

Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris called the warrants "an extremely significant step" and added that Ireland respects the role of the ICC and anyone in a position to assist it in carrying out its vital work must do so "with urgency".

MIDDLE EAST:
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the ICC rulings should be respected and implemented, adding that "Palestinians deserve justice".

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World

Türkiye Calls for Dialogue to Resolve Iran Unrest

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during an interview with Reuters at the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum, in Doha, Qatar, December 6, 2025. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during an interview with Reuters at the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum, in Doha, Qatar, December 6, 2025. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
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Türkiye Calls for Dialogue to Resolve Iran Unrest

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during an interview with Reuters at the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum, in Doha, Qatar, December 6, 2025. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during an interview with Reuters at the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum, in Doha, Qatar, December 6, 2025. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Türkiye's top diplomat on Thursday called for dialogue to the crisis in Iran, rocked by mass protests which rights group say have left thousands dead and which prompted US warnings to Tehran.

"We absolutely want problems to be resolved through dialogue," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told journalists in Istanbul.

"Hopefully, the United States and Iran will resolve this issue among themselves -- whether through mediators, other actors, or direct dialogue. We are closely following these developments."

World

European Military Mission Set to Begin in Greenland

(FILES) Protesters attend a march to the US consulate during a demonstration, under the slogan 'Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people', in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Christian Klindt Soelbeck / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP)
(FILES) Protesters attend a march to the US consulate during a demonstration, under the slogan 'Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people', in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Christian Klindt Soelbeck / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP)
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European Military Mission Set to Begin in Greenland

(FILES) Protesters attend a march to the US consulate during a demonstration, under the slogan 'Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people', in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Christian Klindt Soelbeck / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP)
(FILES) Protesters attend a march to the US consulate during a demonstration, under the slogan 'Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people', in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Christian Klindt Soelbeck / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP)

European military personnel were due to begin arriving in Greenland on Thursday, shortly after a meeting between American, Danish and Greenlandic officials in Washington failed to resolve "fundamental disagreement" over the mineral-rich, strategic Arctic island.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to take control of the autonomous Danish territory, arguing that it is vital for US security, reported AFP.

France, Sweden, Germany and Norway announced Wednesday that they would deploy military personnel as part of a reconnaissance mission to Greenland's capital Nuuk.

"Soldiers of NATO are expected to be more present in Greenland from today and in the coming days. It is expected that there will be more military flights and ships," Greenland's deputy prime minister Mute Egede told a news conference on Wednesday, adding they would be "training".

"The first French military personnel are already on their way. Others will follow," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X.

The deployment of a 13-strong Bundeswehr reconnaissance team to Nuuk from Thursday was at Denmark's invitation, the German defense ministry said, adding it would run from Thursday to Sunday.

The deployment was announced on the same day that the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, speaking after leaving the White House, said a US takeover of Greenland was "absolutely not necessary."

"We didn't manage to change the American position. It's clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland," Lokke told reporters.

"We therefore still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also agree to disagree."

Trump, speaking after the meeting which he did not attend, for the first time sounded conciliatory on Greenland, acknowledging Denmark's interests even if he again said he was not ruling out any options.

"I have a very good relationship with Denmark, and we'll see how it all works out. I think something will work out," Trump said without explaining further.

He again said Denmark was powerless if Russia or China wanted to occupy Greenland, but added: "There's everything we can do."

Trump has appeared emboldened on Greenland after ordering a deadly January 3 attack in Venezuela that removed President Nicolas Maduro.

On the streets of Nuuk, red and white Greenlandic flags flew in shop windows, on apartment balconies, and on cars and buses, in a show of national unity this week.

Some residents described anxiety from finding themselves at the center of the geopolitical spotlight.

"It's very frightening because it's such a big thing," said Vera Stidsen, 51, a teacher in Nuuk.

"I hope that in the future we can continue to live as we have until now: in peace and without being disturbed," Stidsen told AFP.

World

Russia Expels UK Diplomat Accused of Being Spy

A car of the British ambassador drives out of the embassy in Moscow, Russia [File: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters]
A car of the British ambassador drives out of the embassy in Moscow, Russia [File: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters]
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Russia Expels UK Diplomat Accused of Being Spy

A car of the British ambassador drives out of the embassy in Moscow, Russia [File: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters]
A car of the British ambassador drives out of the embassy in Moscow, Russia [File: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters]

Russia said Thursday it was expelling a British diplomat, calling him an undercover spy in the latest espionage accusation between Moscow and London.
The Kremlin has long singled out Britain as one of the most hostile Western states -- with relations virtually frozen even before Moscow's full-scale offensive on Ukraine.
The two countries have expelled each others' embassy staff several times in recent years, AFP said.
Moscow-London ties have been plagued by spy allegations for decades and were already at their lowest point before Russia's 2022 Ukraine attack.
Since then, Britain became one of Kyiv's strongest backers.
Russia's FSB security service named the man it was expelling as Gareth Samuel Davies -- listed on Moscow's official database of accredited diplomats as the embassy's second secretary.
Russia's foreign ministry summoned the UK's charge d'affaires, saying it issued a "strong protest" and that it had received information that "one of the embassy's diplomatic staff belongs to the UK's intelligence service."
"The individual's accreditation is being revoked. He is required to leave the Russian Federation within two weeks," the ministry said.
Expulsions by one side have typically been followed up by a tit-for-tat response from the other.
Russia warned Britain not to "escalate the situation", pledging to deliver a "firm symmetrical response," should London retaliate.
The UK has not yet commented on the accusation.
- Frozen ties -
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has hosted Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky for talks on how to end the war with Russia several times and is one of the Kremlin's most vocal critics.
This month, Britain and France signed a declaration of intent that sets out deploying troops on Ukrainian territory after a ceasefire.
Russia rejected the post-war plan, saying such troops would be considered "legitimate military targets."
Moscow also recently blasted London for being involved in the planning of a US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic.
Espionage accusations between the two countries date back far further than the Ukraine offensive.
In 2006, Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko was killed in London, poisoned by polonium in what British investigators said was a hit by the Russian secret service.
And in 2018, the UK said Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent in the British cathedral city of Salisbury.
One member of the public was killed after handling the delivery device, a discarded perfume bottle, triggering the largest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats, alleged to be spies, in decades.
The communication line between Downing Street and the Kremlin has been closed since Russia's offensive.
The last UK leader known to have spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin was Boris Johnson in February 2022, days before Moscow launched its offensive, when he told the Kremlin chief that sending troops to Ukraine "would be a tragic miscalculation."