Romanian PM invites Netanyahu in Bucharest despite ICC warrant

*As signatory of the ICC Rome Statute, Romania is obliged to arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country.     Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu's announcement of a meeting between the governments of Romania and Israel in Bucharest and his invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signals they could be the next country to defy the ICC international arrest warrant, www.euractiv.com reads.   As Romania is one of 125 signatories of the International Criminal Court Rome Statute and Netenyahu is subject to an arrest warrant for "crimes against humanity" related to military actions in Gaza, it would be obliged to arrest him when he sets foot in the country.   However, it seems that arresting Netenyahu would not be on the cards. Ciolacu wrote on X that Romania and Israel share a relationship of strategic importance and solidarity, reiterating that the prime minister had been invited to the meeting.   Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in November that the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant is binding on all member states.   But France said days later it believed Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the ICC, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes. Poland then said Netanyahu would have immunity from arrest if he attended Auschwitz memorial events, something most Poles disagree with.   Meanwhile, outgoing US President Joe Biden has called the issuing of warrants against Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, "outrageous".   In his message, Ciolacu made no mention of the ICC arrest warrant. Earlier on Sunday, the Romanian prime minister welcomed the release of the first group of three hostages from the Gaza Strip following the entry into force of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas. Two of the hostages released, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher,  are of Romanian origin.   Ciolacu praised the sustained and substantial efforts of high-level mediators from Qatar, the US, and Egypt to conclude the agreement.   Romania has excellent relations with Israel, and during the Cold War, it was the only communist country not to break its diplomatic ties. In April 2018, Romania announced that it would move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.   On 17 October 2023, Ciolacu, during his previous mandate as prime minister, was the first foreign leader to visit Israel after the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel.