G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

By Alvise Armellini

FIUGGI, Italy (Reuters) - The Group of Seven democracies are seeking a common position on the arrest warrant for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued last week by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.

"We need to be united on this," Tajani said after hosting the first working session of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers from G7 nations.

The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision, with President Joe Biden describing it as outrageous.

Tajani, part of a coalition government that has itself appeared divided on the ICC issue, said he wanted the G7 to speak with one voice.

"We have talked about it, let's see if we can have a part in the final communiqué dedicated to this, we are working to find an agreement," Tajani added.

The ICC issued arrest warrants last Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

Israel condemned the decision as shameful and absurd.

Tajani said he invited colleagues from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Qatar to join the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, a spa town about 80 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of Rome.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said discussions were taking place while prospects were picking up for a breakthrough Lebanon ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We are currently discussing with our partners from the Gulf States and the Arab world how we can, in this situation, at least perhaps resolve one of the major challenges, the situation in Lebanon, and finally achieve a ceasefire," she said.

"The momentum now seems to be closer than it was a few days or even a few weeks ago," Baerbock added.

(Additional reporting by Alexander Ratz, Rachel More, Keith Weir, editing by Gavin Jones and Keith Weir)