The actor has doubled the security around his French estate: his wife, an international law lawyer, worked on the arrest warrant against the leaders of Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. And he fears retaliation
George Clooney is worried: after his wife Amal’s involvement in the International Criminal Court case in The Hague against Hamas leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the actor has doubled security around their residence in Brignoles, Provence. photo | video
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin, red carpet love in the rain – Look
AN IMMENSE ESTATE Three years ago, George and Amal Clooney ditched the lights of Hollywood for a sleepy French town and have never regretted it. Their €8 million villa (with attached vineyard) in the medieval town of Brignoles has become their retreat and the place where they spend much of their time with their six-year-old twins Ella and Alexander. But now, Clooney is worried. Since his wife Amal joined the pool of lawyers expert in international law on whom the International Criminal Court in The Hague relied to issue the arrest warrant for “international and war crimes” for the leaders of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, George no longer feels at ease. He is said to have doubled his surveillance around the Provençal estate and is considering returning to the United States (or London) at least until the situation in Gaza stabilizes.
George Clooney, 60 years old with all love: “With my family I am happy and blessed” – Look
THERE ARE ALSO BOWLS In Brignoles, the Clooneys live just ten minutes from their friend Brad Pitt and his Miraval estate. «The Clooneys are anything but inaccessible – swore the mayor of Brignoles, Didier Brémond – if they meet someone from the town they always greet them with a smile. Their presence is giving energy to everyone.” Their 170 hectare property consists of a 750 square meter house plus a swimming pool, tennis court, bowling green (so George can keep up with the petanque, the local pastime), private lake and four hectares of vineyards that produce a “very good” white wine, assures the mayor, who tasted it during a picnic. In addition, there is also an immense park of 16 hectares of solar panels which earns the Clooneys 85 thousand euros a year. Helping the couple find a house (let’s call it that) was Vincent Sauvestre, of Terres & Domaines real estate. «As soon as she arrived to visit the Amal estate she started smelling the rosemary and lavender and was enchanted. They are both very simple and pleasant people.” As for the interiors of the villa, the Clooneys wanted to recall the style of their luxurious home in Laglio, on Lake Como. «George furnished everything in Italian style», revealed the mayor (perhaps a little annoyed). During the renovation, local residents say, an army of Italian artisans landed in the town and there was a lot of coming and going of prestigious Parisian decorators. One day, George even ventured out alone to a local supermarket and was mobbed by fans.
George Clooney with Amal Alamuddin and the twins Ella and Alexander on Lake Como – look
«I BELIEVE IN LAW» Today, things have changed. Clooney has the utmost respect for his wife Amal’s work, but he also fears for the family’s safety. That’s why he would have called other bodyguards and would be thinking of temporarily leaving Brignoles to spend the summer elsewhere with the twins and his wife. Amal, of Lebanese origin, considered one of the most influential Arab women in the world, is one of Europe’s leading experts on international law. And she doesn’t even think about playing “Clooney’s wife”. “I joined this group because I believe in the rule of law and the need to protect civilian lives,” she said. «The law that protects civilians in war was developed more than 100 years ago and applies in all countries of the world, regardless of the reasons for the conflict. For this reason, as a human rights lawyer, I will never accept that the life of one child has less value than that of another. I do not accept that any conflict should be outside the reach of the law, nor that any perpetrator is above the law.”
FT
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