Some leaders could have immunity at the International Criminal Court under the Rome Statute that established the institution, France's foreign minister indicated Wednesday, after the ICC issued arrests warrants for Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister.
Asked if France would arrest Netanyahu if he stepped on French territory, Jean-Noel Barrot did not give a specific answer in an interview with Franceinfo radio.
He said France "is very committed to international justice and will apply international law based on its obligations to cooperate with the ICC."
But he added that the court's statute "deals with questions of immunity for certain leaders".
"It is ultimately up to the judicial authorities to decide," he added.
The ICC this month issued warrants for Netanyahu, former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif. Netanyahu has slammed the move.
The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said the arrest warrants are "binding" and should be implemented.
However unlike some European states, France has so far taken a more cautious stance on the warrants, with officials repeating that Paris is committed to international justice.
Barrot's comments marked the first time a top French official has evoked a possible immunity.
Unconfirmed media reports have said that Netanyahu angrily raised the issue in telephone talks with President Emmanuel Macron and urged Paris not to enforce the decision.
France has been instrumental in efforts to end fighting in the Middle East and, with the United States, helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that came into force Wednesday.
Article 27 of the Rome Statute states that immunity "shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person."
But article 98 says a state cannot "act inconsistently with its obligations under international law with respect to the... diplomatic immunity of a person."
Barrot meanwhile hailed the ceasefire as a major success for France and expressed hope it would result in the "reform" of Lebanon after years of crisis.
The ceasefire foresees "that the Israeli army withdraws from southern Lebanon during these 60 days and that it is replaced by a massive deployment of the Lebanese armed forces.
"And in this context, France will play its full part," he said.