Will Netanyahu be arrested if he visits Uzbekistan?

On November 21, the pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, citing "crimes against humanity and war crimes" allegedly committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.

Following this decision, several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, have stated that they will arrest Netanyahu if he enters their territories. China has also expressed support for the ICC's move, backing the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant in connection with the situation in the Gaza Strip.

But what about Uzbekistan? Will the country take similar action? According to a source within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, the country is not bound by the ICC's decision and would not arrest Netanyahu.

"The Republic of Uzbekistan has not ratified the relevant documents regarding the International Criminal Court and has not undertaken to implement its decisions. Therefore, Uzbekistan is under no obligation to carry out any arrest warrants issued by the ICC," said the representative.

It is also important to note that Uzbekistan is not expecting Netanyahu to visit the country while the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East continue.

For context, Uzbekistan has not ratified the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. This is why, despite an international arrest warrant being issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023, Uzbekistan hosted him in May of this year without any legal repercussions related to the ICC’s decision.

In related developments, U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the ICC's arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant as "outrageous," while Russia dismissed the warrants, stating they were irrelevant to Moscow’s stance.