Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backed out of attending the inauguration ceremony of the new pope due to concerns over the possible execution of an international arrest warrant issued against him.
اضافة اعلان
Netanyahu’s office had contacted both Italy and the Vatican to ensure that the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant would not be enforced. However, the responses received offered no clear guarantees regarding whether the warrant would be ignored or acted upon.
According to sources, Netanyahu’s office decided not to risk the visit after receiving what were described as unconvincing and unsettling replies.
The Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV will be officially inaugurated during a mass on Sunday, and he is set to deliver his first public sermon on the 21st of the month.
The new pope faces several major challenges, including the declining popularity of the Church in Europe, Vatican financial issues, the ongoing scandal of child abuse within the Church, and decreasing participation in religious life.
ICC Arrest Warrant
On November 21, 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the offensive on Gaza.
It is worth noting that while Israel is not a member of the ICC, the State of Palestine holds full membership.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a systematic war against the population of the Gaza Strip, involving indiscriminate killings, starvation, large-scale destruction, and forced displacement — in complete disregard of international calls and rulings from the International Court of Justice demanding a halt to the war.
This war, backed by the United States, has resulted in nearly 173,000 people killed or injured — the majority of whom are women and children — in addition to over 11,000 missing under the rubble.
(Source: Al Jazeera)
