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.

France said on Wednesday it believed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the International Criminal Court which is seeking his arrest for alleged war crimes in Gaza, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes.

Judges at the International Criminal Court have issued an arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Warrants have also been issued for Netanyahu's former defence chief Yoav Gallant and senior Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri,