TEHRAN- The International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders has been strongly welcomed by many but rejected in some corners.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Minister for War Yoav Gallant are now officially wanted as war criminals, international reactions have been pouring in over the decision.

Here are some of those reactions from around the world:

PALESTINE

In the Gaza Strip, where Netanyahu and Gallant have been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, Hamas has welcomed the move by the ICC.

The resistance movement, which is fighting off a U.S.-backed genocidal Israeli war has called on the ICC to extend the warrants to all Israeli leaders complicit in war crimes.

“We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to all criminal occupation leaders,” Hamas emphasized.

In a statement, Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim added, “[It’s] an important step towards justice and can lead to redress for the victims in general, but it remains limited and symbolic if it is not supported by all means by all countries around the world.”

Asked by AFP about Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif’s arrest warrant, the third person, whom the ICC named a Hamas official, said there was “no comparison between the criminal occupier and the victim”.

The West Bank-based Palestinian Authority also welcomed the decision, urging all members of the international court to implement it.

SOUTH AFRICA

In a statement, the South African government welcomed the warrants as a “significant step”.

“These actions mark a significant step towards justice for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Palestine.

South Africa reaffirms its commitment to international law and urges all state parties to act in accordance with their obligations in the Rome Statute.

We call on the global community to uphold the rule of law,” the government said.

COLOMBIA

Colombia’s reaction was among the strongest in Latin America. President Gustavo Petro welcomed the decision as “logical,” saying “Netanyahu is a genocidal maniac.”

“The ruling must be obeyed. If Biden disregards this order, he is simply leading the world into barbarism. Western Europe must regain its independence in international politics and act to enforce the court’s ruling,” Petro wrote in a post on social media.

ARGENTINA

President Javier Milei denounced the decision. In a social media post, he wrote that his government “declares its deep disagreement” with the ICC.

JORDAN

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the decision must be implemented, adding that Palestinians deserved justice over Israeli “war crimes” in Gaza.

TURKEY

The ICC’s decision “is a belated but positive decision to stop the bloodshed and put an end to the genocide in Palestine,” Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said.

IRAN

“The warrants are very important, historic, and courageous,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said.

“They mark a major victory for the oppressed Palestinian nation, the Axis of Resistance as well as their supporters, and a defeat for the Zionist regime and its sponsors. From such a viewpoint, this ruling is very significant,” Gharibabadi underlined.

“The warrants show that the International Criminal Court has concluded that the criminal Zionist regime has perpetrated the crimes, and an investigation into the offenses, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, etc., falls within the jurisdiction of the court. These are key issues,” the Iranian diplomat pointed out.

CHINA

“China hopes the ICC will uphold an objective and just position (and) exercise its powers in accordance with the law,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.

EUROPEAN UNION

The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated the warrants were “not political” and should be respected by all member states.

“The tragedy in Gaza has to stop,” he added.

Despite his remarks, some EU members offered conflicting statements.

IRELAND

Prime Minister Simon Harris said Ireland would be prepared to arrest Netanyahu if he landed on Irish territory.

“Yes absolutely. We support international courts and we apply their warrants,” Harris told national broadcaster RTE, calling the warrants “a significant step”.

Also, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on its website, “There are reasonable grounds to believe that the alleged crimes were committed by these individuals.”

“Ireland is a strong supporter of the ICC and calls on all States to respect its independence and impartiality, with no attempts made to undermine the court.”

THE NETHERLANDS

Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told the Dutch parliament the Netherlands would respect the decision and arrest Netanyahu if he set foot on Dutch soil.

The Netherlands will also not engage in any “non-essential” contacts with Netanyahu and Gallant, Veldkamp said.

SWITZERLAND

The Swiss Federal Office of Justice stated its obligation to cooperate with the ICC under the Rome Statute, pledging to arrest and extradite Netanyahu or Gallant if they entered Swiss territory.

SPAIN

Spain’s second Vice-President and Labor Minister, Yolando Diaz, welcomed the decision.

“Always on the side of justice and international law,” Diaz wrote in a social media post, adding, “The genocide of the Palestinian people cannot go unpunished.”

ITALY

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto acknowledged if Netanyahu or Gallant “were to come to Italy, we would have to arrest them.”

However, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani noted, “We will evaluate together with our allies what to do and how to interpret this decision.”

FRANCE

The French Foreign Ministry appeared to play down the ICC decision as just a formalization of an accusation.

A spokesman refused to say whether France would arrest Netanyahu if he entered French territory, claiming the matter was “legally complex”.

GERMANY

A government spokesperson contradicted the EU foreign policy chief, indicating that Germany would not arrest Netanyahu if he traveled to the country.

The spokesperson said, “We have a unique relationship and a great responsibility to Israel”.

HUNGARY

Another EU member, Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, condemned the decision as “absurd”.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban went a step further, saying he would invite Netanyahu to Hungary and would guarantee the arrest warrant would “not be observed.”

BRITAIN

The British government has refused to say if Netanyahu would be arrested if he landed on British soil, despite Britain being a member of the ICC and is legally obliged to arrest him.

UNITED STATES

Israel’s staunchest ally strongly condemned the ICC decision.

President Joe Biden called it “outrageous”.

“Whatever the ICC might imply … We will always stand with Israel,” Biden said.

Other senior American officials echoed those words.

The Biden administration strongly welcomed and rushed the ICC’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Washington praised the Court’s legal process.

This time, the US threatened the ICC if it went ahead with issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials and has warned the court of consequences that include sanctions.

ISRAEL 

In a social media post, Netanyahu criticized the ICC. He condemned the arrest warrants and described them as a “dark day”.

Former War Minister Gallant echoed those words while President Isaac Herzog claimed that the ICC’s decision sided with “terrorism and evil” and has turned the international justice system into a “human shield” for Hamas.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also stated that the ICC had “lost all legitimacy” by issuing what he described as “absurd orders without authority.”

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS

All international human rights groups have strongly welcomed the ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Gallant.

Human Rights Watch said the warrants “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law. This is all the more important given the brazen attempts to obstruct the course of justice at the court.”

“Netanyahu is now officially a wanted man,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard. “ICC member states and the whole international community must stop at nothing until these individuals are brought to trial before the ICC’s independent and impartial judges.”

Others have described the move as the most momentous decision in the ICC’s 22-year mandate for a genocide in Gaza that history will neither forget nor forgive.