MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. To avoid aggravating relations with Israel, Western countries will refuse to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Professor Andrey Baklanov, of the Department of Foreign Regional Studies at the department of the World Economy and World Politics of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, has told TASS.

"Opinions may vary on this, but here there is an added risk related to worsening the 'climate' and the possible impact on various countries," Baklanov said. "We [Russia] have a policy of not recognizing [ICC decisions] given the court’s history of bias. But there is also a counter risk: its decisions may be enforced by certain actors that are interested in fanning tensions".

The expert noted that for Russia, this issue is not a priority: "Our attitude in general to this body is purely negative, and nothing has changed here, regardless of who they [the ICC] point an accusing finger at. We basically ignore it."

Asked whether the ICC warrant might cause a rift among Western countries with different approaches to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Baklanov replied he was skeptical this might ever happen.

"I don't think it will have any far-reaching consequences," he explained. "Israel will ignore the decision, and it will have little effect on its bilateral ties, because hardly anyone will dare to aggravate relations with Israel in this way. This is just a complicating element of the already rather complicated international situation. This is just a flash in the pan." In his opinion, Israel has become indifferent to unfavorable decisions by international organizations.

On November 21, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed from at least October 8, 2023 to May 20, 2024 in Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip. According to the Pre-Trial Chamber, they are responsible for a number of crimes such as murder, persecution and other inhumane acts, as well as for willfully committing acts that subject civilians to starvation as a method of warfare.