ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas commander
www.bbc.com
Judges accuse them over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel's war with Hamas.

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as Hamas’s military commander.

A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.

A warrant was also issued for Mohammed Deif, although the Israeli military has said he was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July.

The judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the three men bore “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the allegations.

It will now be up to the ICC’s 124 member states - who do not include Israel or its ally, the United States - to decide whether or not to enforce the warrants.

In May, the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan sought warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, Deif and two other Hamas leaders who have since been killed, Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. Although Israel believes Deif has also been killed, the chamber said it was not able to confirm his death.

  • leetnewb@beehaw.org
    1·
    2 days ago

    Maybe this should not be a binary question, but: will this make Israeli public more nationalistic OR find a unifying reason to permanently remove Netanyahu from power? Guessing the former, but one can hope.

  • Sundial@lemm.ee
    1·
    2 days ago

    I’m actually surprised. I didn’t think they would actually do it. It’s unlikely to lead anywhere, but this is still a big step.

    • jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de
      0·
      2 days ago

      It will stop Benny from going on his little vacations to the US and Europe to prop up the local far-right.

      • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
        2·
        2 days ago

        The US is not just not a signatory state, but has threatened to invade the Hague to free US soldiers persecuted in the ICC.

      • Sundial@lemm.ee
        2·
        2 days ago

        America is not part of the ICC, they have no legal obligation to comply. Nor would they. Betraying or abandoning one of their assets would not be a good look.

        • jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de
          0·
          2 days ago

          If they don’t comply that is going to play into Putin’s hands and piss off Europe. Trump might do it, but it will probably kill all the international influence the US has in the process.