PARIS, November 29. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron has agreed not to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in exchange for his involvement in brokering a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, according to a report by the French news magazine Le Point, citing a source close to Macron.

The report indicates that shortly after the ICC issued its warrant, Macron had a phone conversation with Netanyahu, in which he acknowledged that Paris was obliged to respect the ICC and cooperate fully. However, Macron also emphasized that the ICC's statutes contain provisions for immunity from arrest warrants in certain cases, according to the source.

During the conversation, the two leaders discussed the ceasefire agreement, with France agreeing to play a key role in the committee overseeing the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This resolution governs the situation along the Israel-Lebanon border. The Le Point report highlights that during this discussion, final disagreements between France and Israel were resolved. An Israeli source revealed that Netanyahu’s immunity was effectively the price for France’s involvement in the ceasefire deal.

Earlier, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Netanyahu would not be detained on French soil, despite the arrest warrant issued by the ICC. According to French law, ministers, including Netanyahu, benefit from immunity, which would be taken into account should the ICC request their arrest or extradition.

On November 27, the first ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023 took effect. Under the terms of the agreement, a joint committee will be established to monitor the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, with participation from the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.

On November 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Palestine, including the Gaza Strip, between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.