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.

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.

British foreign minister David Lammy said on Wednesday he would continue to talk and meet with Benjamin Netanyahu after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister for alleged war crimes in Gaza.