According to the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel, the statement indicated that although Tel Aviv rejects the ICC’s ruling, it formally notified the court of its intention to present an appeal. The appeal, Netanyahu’s office claims, will demonstrate “how absurd and without foundation” the arrest warrants are.

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

The Foreign Ministry did not say outright that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel would be free to travel to France, but it argued that an I.C.C. rule on immunity may apply to him.