France, which is under pressure over its stance on an international arrest warrant issued for Israel's prime minister, declined on Thursday to say whether it would be prepared to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin under a similar warrant.

The French Foreign Ministry suggested that Netanyahu may have immunity from arrest because Israel isn’t a signatory to the court’s founding treaty.

On Wednesday, Paris argued that 'immunities apply' to the Israeli prime minister. The French statement, which undermines the Court's authority, outraged human rights defenders.