Requisitions for arrest warrants from the ICC against Hamas and Israel, death of President Ebrahim Raïssi… The “8h30 franceinfo” by Agnès Levallois

The vice president of iReMMO and specialist in the Middle East was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo”, Tuesday May 21, 2024.

Agnès Levallois, vice-president of the Mediterranean Middle East Studies and Research Institute (iReMMO) and specialist in the Middle East, was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo”, Tuesday May 21, 2024. Requisitions from the Criminal Court international against Hamas and two members of the Israeli government, international reactions, consequences of the death of the Iranian president… She answered questions from Salhia Brakhlia and Jérôme Chapuis.

Arrest warrants requested by the ICC: the court “does law, not politics”

By demanding arrest warrants on Monday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders, “the International Criminal Court (ICC) really does law, it is based on facts, proven facts (…) it is not politics”believes Agnès Levallois.

“When the ICC implicates Hamas for crimes in Gaza with the rapes committed against Israelis, the hostages who were taken, that is a reality”, recalls Agnès Levallois. But “repeat the first statement by the Israeli Minister of Defense who said ‘we are going to cut off water, electricity, food, that the Gazans are animals who we are going to treat as such, it is not of politics, these are facts, declarations which led to the blockade of the Gaza Strip”develops the Middle East specialist. “This is what the ICC is based on and not on a political approach”she assures.

“I don’t think it’s about dismissing [le Hamas et Israël] back to back”

If France “supports the ICC”it is not the same on the side of the United States, where President Joe Biden criticized an approach “scandalous” which would induce a “equivalence between Israel and Hamas”. “I think that what must be highlighted is the desire of certain States, including France, that the basis of our system is respect for international law”analyzes Agnès Levallois. “I don’t think it’s a matter of going back to back, but simply of taking note of what has been happening in the Gaza Strip since October 7”underlines the specialist.

If the ICC judges decide to issue the arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, this means that in theory, any of the 124 member states making up this court would be obliged to arrest him if he visited their territory. territory. “For France, that means that if Netanyahu or his Minister of Defense”Yoav Gallant, “wanted to come to France, they should normally be arrested since France has ratified this text”argues Agnès Levallois, which is not the case for the United States.

🔴The ICC requires arrest warrants against B. Netanyahu➡️”There was a feeling, on the part of Israel, that this State, being so particular because of its history, we could not put it on the same level as other States throughout the world”, analyzes Agnès Levallois. pic.twitter.com/qCkEw3NBhb

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) May 21, 2024

Death of Ebrahim Raïssi: “the key man of the regime in Iran is the supreme guide”

Agnès Levallois believes that “the results” of the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi “are quite limited” on the internal politics of the country, “since the key man of the regime in Iran is not the President of the Republic, it is the Supreme Guide” .

Elections are scheduled for June 28, there are “a sorting that is done in the possible applications”explains the Middle East specialist. “If Ali Khamenei wants to stay on his very conservative hard line, the Council [des gardiens de la Constitution] will select candidates who will be in this line”details Agnè Levallois, unless the supreme guide wants “open the game a little” and accept a “candidacy a little more open, to give assurances. But to talk about opposition, we are not at all in this scenario”she concludes.

🔴Death of the Iranian president ➡️”On social networks, different movements welcomed the disappearance of Raïssi, who was a tough guy, especially in the judicial field and who was responsible for death sentences”, reports Agnès Levallois. pic.twitter.com/O1w7KllPtK

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) May 21, 2024

Find the entire “8:30 a.m. franceinfo” from Tuesday May 21, 2024: