THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister of defence Yoav Gallant over war crimes allegations.
The ICC emphasised that Israel’s acceptance of the court’s jurisdiction is not required.
The ICC stated that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe they committed war crimes, including starvation as a method of warfare and “the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
The Cable News Network (CNN) reported that the ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant mark a groundbreaking moment in history, as Netanyahu is now the first Israeli leader to be summoned by an international court for alleged actions against Palestinians.
This unprecedented move signifies a potential shift in accountability for Israeli officials.
The ICC’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu puts him in the same league as Russian President Vladimir Putin, who’s also been charged by the ICC.
Putin’s warrant stemmed from allegations of war crimes, specifically the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children during the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Even though ICC warrants do not ensure arrests, it could severely limit Netanyahu’s travel to ICC member states.
Gallant was recently fired from his job due to a disagreement with Netanyahu. That did not, however, prevent the ICC from issuing the warrant for the crimes he committed while in government.
A warrant for Hamas official Mohammed Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, who Israel claimed was one of the masterminds of the October 7, 2023, attack, was also issued by the court on Thursday, November 21.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s office dismissed the warrants on him and Gallant as “absurd and antisemitic.”
The office released a statement saying the country “utterly rejects the absurd and false actions and accusations” made by the ICC, labelling it a “politically biased and discriminatory body.”
The statement also emphasised that Israel’s war efforts were justified, given the “murderous attack” launched by Hamas, which is considered the “largest massacre against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
Additionally, Netanyahu vowed not to succumb to pressure, reaffirming his commitment to achieving Israel’s wartime objectives.
On October 7, 2023, a Hamas attack on Israel claimed more than 1,000 lives. Since then, many Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza, the majority of whom were women and children.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as of November 21, 2024, more than 100 journalists have also been killed in the attacks, making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992.
On Thursday, Al Jazeera reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have continued their intense airstrikes and ground campaigns in Gaza, despite the ongoing case against Netanyahu.
The attacks have been particularly severe in northern Gaza, with widespread destruction and civilian casualties reported.
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