Israel has urged “nations of the civilised world” to refuse to implement any International Criminal Court arrest warrants issued against its leaders.
On Monday, May 20, 2024, ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan disclosed that he had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders, including its chief, Yahya Sinwar.
A government spokesperson, Tal Heinrich, said, “We call on the nations of the civilised, free world – nations who despise terrorists and anyone who supports them – to stand by Israel.”
“You should outright condemn this step,” he added.
“Make sure the ICC understands where you stand. Oppose the prosecutor’s decision and declare that, even if warrants are issued, you do not intend to enforce them. Because this is not about our leaders. It’s about our survival.”
Tal Heinrich
Israel, along with states such as the US, Russia and China, is not a member of the ICC and does not recognise its authority.
The 124 states that do, however, are obliged to honour court arrest warrants if they are issued, which could severely curtail the ability of Netanyahu and Gallant to travel abroad.
France, Belgium and Slovenia voiced their support for Khan’s decision.
On the other hand, a UK government Spokesperson reiterated that London did not believe the ICC had jurisdiction in the case.
UK Foreign Minister, David Cameron stated that the arrest warrants sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor are “just plain wrong.”
“I don’t believe for one moment that seeking these warrants is going to help get the hostages out, it’s not going to help get aid in, and it’s not going to help deliver a sustainable ceasefire,” he told the House of Lords.
“To draw moral equivalence between the Hamas leadership and the democratically elected leader of Israel, I think, is just plain wrong,” Cameron added.
Czech Republic called the prosecutor’s move “appalling and completely unacceptable,” a clear indication of the west’s growing divisions over approaches to Israel as death and destruction mounts in Gaza.
Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk also criticised the request by the International Criminal Court Prosecutor, Karim Khan for arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders.
“An attempt to show that the Prime Minister of Israel and the leaders of terrorist organisations are the same, and the involvement of international institutions in this, is unacceptable,” Tusk told a news conference.
When asked if Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu or Defence Minister Yoav Gallant would avoid travelling to ICC-signatory countries if arrest warrants were issued, Heinrich said, “Let’s wait and see.”
Meanwhile, U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said that the administration of US President Joe Biden would be happy to work with lawmakers to formulate “an appropriate response” to the International Criminal Court prosecutor seeking to issue arrest warrants on Israeli leaders over the Gaza war.
Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Blinken called the move “a profoundly wrong-headed” decision that would complicate the prospects of reaching a deal on negotiations to achieve a hostage deal and a ceasefire.
Lawyer Says ICC Prosecutor Correct By Seeking Arrest Warrants For Israel’s Leaders
Michael Mansfield, a UK-based human rights lawyer, stated that while some are angry that Israel’s leaders could face arrest warrants for war crimes, legally the move is perfectly legitimate.
“It’s not problematic at all. In fact, the converse would be problematic,” Mansfield told a news agency.
“Israeli officials are accused of ‘extermination’ – it couldn’t become much bigger than that – causing starvation as a weapon of war, the denial of humanitarian relief supplies, and deliberately targeting civilians. That is precisely what is continuing today.”
Michael Mansfield
He added that over the decades, the rule of international law has been ignored and the situation in Gaza would never have reached this stage because there would’ve been an international intervention “if the conditions set out under the UN Charter had been followed.”
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