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Macron Grants Netanyahu Immunity From ICC Warrant for Role in Lebanon Ceasefire Talks - Report

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron has guaranteed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s arrest warrant in exchange for a role in ceasefire talks in Lebanon, Le Point news magazine reported on Friday.
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"This was the price France had to pay for participation in the agreement on Lebanon. For Paris to be able to play its role in this, Emmanuel Macron had to take three steps back through his foreign ministry by talking about diplomatic immunity," an Israeli source told the news outlet.
The French Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that France would not be able to execute the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu because he had immunity as a head of state that was not part to the ICC's Rome Statute.
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Netanyahu pressed Macron in a telephone conversation last week to defy the ICC's decision, threatening to bar France from ceasefire talks in Lebanon, RMC radio reported.
Le Point reported that the two leaders agreed on ceasefire details during that conversation. Netanyahu promised to "give France, along with the United States, an important role in the committee to monitor the implementation of UN Resolution 1701."
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 21, citing war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip. Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and others pledged to abide by the ruling.
Israel's security cabinet approved a US-brokered agreement with Lebanon on Tuesday night. Netanyahu explained that the ceasefire was needed to focus on the alleged Iranian threat and isolate Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that Israel would resume hostilities if Lebanon's Hezbollah violated the truce.
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