President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the 22nd Cabinet meeting and the ninth emergency economic review meeting held at the Blue House on May 20. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Lee Jae Myung took aim
at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday over Israel’s seizure of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying a Korean activist and ordered that an arrest warrant be reviewed.
Earlier on Wednesday,
a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying a Korean activist was seized by the Israeli navy, according to the Korea Flotilla for a Free Palestine. This follows the detention of another Korean activist after a separate vessel was seized by Israeli forces in international waters near Cyprus on Monday.
The group claimed that 41 vessels have been intercepted.
Calling the seizure “extremely severe and deeply inhumane,” Lee, during a Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House in central Seoul, ordered National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to review possible measures against Netanyahu, citing the International Criminal Court ruling.
“Hasn’t the International Criminal Court already recognized [Netanyahu] as a war criminal and issued an arrest warrant for him?”
Lee asked.
"Almost all European countries have now announced that they will arrest him if he enters their territory."
“We should also consider that,” Lee said, referencing the arrest warrant, to which Wi responded that the matter would be reviewed.
Lee also questioned the legality of the seizure
,
calling Israel's military operations in Gaza an "illegal invasion,"
and whether "the vessel had been intercepted in Israeli territorial waters."
“How can it be justified to seize, arrest and detain a third-country vessel carrying volunteers seeking to provide aid?” Lee said, adding, “What is the legal basis for the seizure?”
Regarding whether the vessel was intercepted in Israeli territorial waters, Wi responded that it had not been, adding, however, that “Israel militarily controls the entire Gaza region.”
Lee asked, “Just because Israel invaded another country and is engaged in combat, does that mean it can arbitrarily seize third-country vessels and detain their crews?”
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