Belgian PM says Netanyahu would not be arrested if he visited Belgium

Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever has made it clear: if Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu set foot in Belgium, he wouldn’t be arrested.

Speaking to VRT television on Thursday, De Wever dismissed the idea, saying practical considerations take precedence over ethics when it comes to international diplomacy.

“There is such a thing as realpolitik. Within that framework, practical considerations prevail over ethical ones,” he said. “I don’t think there is a single European country that would arrest Mr Netanyahu if he went there. France, for example, wouldn’t—and I don’t think we would either.”

His remarks came as Hungary, just ahead of Netanyahu’s state visit, announced it had begun the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), raising further questions about Europe’s stance on war crimes and accountability.