ICC issues arrest warrants against leaders involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
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It has been announced that the International Crime Court (ICC) has issued warrants for the arrest of three leaders in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It has been announced that the International Crime Court (ICC) has issued warrants for the arrest of three leaders in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a former Israel defense minister, and an additional Hamas official. The war crimes being cited are crimes against humanity following their 13-month war in Gaza and the October 2023 attack.
Netanyahu has denounced the warrant by saying that Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions…There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.” He also claims that the warrants can be interpreted as antisemitic in nature.
The arrest warrants pose more difficulty in obtaining a negotiation, as the wanted people may isolate themselves further. Israel is a major ally of the United States, and current President Joe Biden has given his support for Israel’s right to defend itself but has called for an end to the conflict.
The judging panel of the ICC, consisting of three judges, issued the arrest warrants unanimously. The decision stated, “The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.” Karim Ahmad Khan, the chief prosecutor of the ICC, accused Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes, including murder, attacking civilians, persecution, and various other charges.
He also accused Hamas leaders Sinwar, Deif, and Haniyeh of crimes linked to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The attack led to the death of 1,200 people and the abduction of another 250. The Hamas leaders are being accused of murder, extermination, taking hostages, rape, and torture.
A statement says, “The Chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Deif, born in 1965, the highest commander of the military wing of Hamas (known as the al-Qassam Brigades) at the time of the alleged conduct, is responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; torture; and rape and other forms of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture; taking hostages; outrages upon personal dignity; and rape and other forms of sexual violence.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry submitted two legal briefs challenging the ICC’s jurisdiction. They argued that the court did not give Israel the proper opportunity to conduct its own investigation into the allegations against its officials. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said, “No other democracy with an independent and respected legal system like that which exists in Israel has been treated in this prejudicial manner by the Prosecutor.”
The ICC is known to be the last resort for prosecution, and only when domestic law enforcement fails to investigate the case properly. In the past, Israel has been shown not to have investigated its actions properly. Even so, the ICC does not have police or any forces to enforce its warrants and has to rely on member states' help. Therefore, the suspects are not likely to face the judges.