The chief prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan, disclosed that the ICC seeks arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas leader Sinwar for crimes against humanity.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) caused a stir when it issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, but now the same Western authorities are horrified that it would do the same for US partner Benjamin Netanyahu.
The upcoming formal arrest warrant applications, which also include Israel’s defense minister, have been denounced by the Biden administration as “outrageous”. The entire statement is given below:
In an apparent attempt to maintain “balance,” the ICC prosecutor is also requesting arrest warrants for the senior military and political figures in Hamas. But the fact that Israel is the focus is a historic event.
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The controversial arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite months of speculation that it might not be carried out due to pressure from Washington. The world court is requesting arrest warrants for Israel’s leaders who are carrying out the war in Gaza, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan disclosed on Monday.
With Monday’s action, the Hague-based court has never before singled out a national leader of a close US ally. Now, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Netanyahu is expected to be on the court’s “wanted” list.
An application is being submitted on Monday, according to the prosecutor, who stated that there are “reasonable grounds to believe Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu bears criminal responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity”. The applications Khan filed for the arrest warrants to be legally issued are scheduled to be reviewed by the judges of the International Criminal Court.
The charges, Kahn added, are related to the crimes of “causing extermination, causing starvation as a method of war including the denial of humanitarian relief supplies, deliberately targeting civilians in conflict.”
The International Criminal Court is also requesting an arrest warrant for Ismail Haniyeh, the political head of Hamas, Mohammed Deif, the commander of the Al-Qassem Brigades, and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Regarding the three Hamas leaders, they are wanted for the terror attack on October 7 as well as war crimes including sexual abuse, hostage-taking, and murder.
About the listing of Sinwar, Deif, and Haniyeh, Kahn declared, “Today we have applied for warrants to the pretrial chamber of the international criminal court in relation to three individuals who are Hamas members.”
The Hague’s announcement on Monday represents a major setback to Israel’s reputation and a black eye in the eyes of the international community, which it is finding difficult to ignore in light of the increasing number of civilian deaths in Gaza. It has seen a growing number of countries, particularly in the Global South, turn against it as the international anti-Israel boycott campaign gets traction.
This implies that even after leaving government office, Netanyahu may find it difficult to visit some of the nations that have ratified the Rome Statute, or at the very least, he will need to “watch out” on foreign visits. To relieve pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration, President Putin purposefully skipped last year’s crucial BRICS gathering in South Africa.
The opening paragraph of Khan’s request for an arrest warrant for the Israeli leaders is provided below:
On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence of Israel, bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023:
- Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the Statute;
- Wilfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health contrary to article 8(2)(a)(iii), or cruel treatment as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i);
- Wilful killing contrary to article 8(2)(a)(i), or Murder as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i);
- Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime contrary to articles 8(2)(b)(i), or 8(2)(e)(i);
- Extermination and/or murder contrary to articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(a), including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, as a crime against humanity;
- Persecution as a crime against humanity contrary to article 7(1)(h);
- Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity contrary to article 7(1)(k).
Last year, GreatGameIndia reported that as part of the West’s attempt to ramp up the pressure on President Vladimir Putin, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader. It was a largely symbolic step, as detaining Putin remains entirely unenforceable, but enough to create a firestorm of hyped and breathless headlines.
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