FINALLY!
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for Israeli PM, defence minister, 3 Hamas leaders
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in connection with their actions during the seven-month war.
Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor has also sought the arrest of three Hamas leaders: Yahya Sinwar(Palestinian politician who has been leader of Hamas, believed to be in Gaza), Mohammed Deif (Head of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas) and Ismail Haniyeh (Senior political leader of Hamas, the current chairman of Hamas’s political bureau, resides in Qatar).
Of course CNN keeps Oct 7 as the starting point. Conveniently forgetting the ICC has been investigating Netanyahu for war crimes since the 2014 bombing of Gaza.
More on sought arrest warrants from ICC prosecutor
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan has announced that it is filing applications for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yaov Gallant. He said there are reasonable grounds to believe they bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza from at least October 8, 2023:
- Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime
- Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health
- Willful killing or murder as a war crime
- Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime
- Extermination and/or murder, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, as a crime against humanity
- Persecution as a crime against humanity
- Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan seeks arrest warrants for Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, chief of the military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau.
He said that they bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Israel and Gaza from at least October 7.
- Extermination as a crime against humanity
- Murder as a crime against humanity
- Taking hostages as a war crime
- Rape and other acts of sexual violence as crimes against humanity and as war crimes in the context of captivity
- Torture as a crime against humanity and also as a war crime in the context of captivity
- Other inhumane acts as a crime against humanity in the context of captivity
- Cruel treatment as a war crime in the context of captivity
- Outrages upon personal dignity as a war crime in the context of captivity
Still double standards on display. The sexual abuse and torture in Israeli prisons has been proven (for decades) yet not listed while rape and torture still haven't been proven on Oct 7 nor the following treatment of the hostages. Or maybe it's all lumped together under "other inhumane acts". Hostage taking is enough of a war crime as well as killing civilians. Yet it feels like Karim Khan had to pad the list for political reasons. (and leave out the role Netanyahu played in his previous rule as president)
What’s behind ICC chief prosecutor’s move?
The ICC only deals with serious crimes but when you hear what is detailed on both sides, it really is sobering.
On the Israeli side, he is naming the prime minister and the defence minister but says this was a state policy, this was official government policy to use starvation as a method of war.
I think it is interesting that he’s decided to make this public at this stage because the other important decision by Khan in the last couple of years is when he brought an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin and his children’s commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova – that was in March 2023.
At that stage there were arrest warrants. We’re not at this stage; he’s gone public saying there should be arrest warrants and he needs to go to the judges. Last time, he had already gone to the judges and it was made public that the judges have approved the recommendation.
I can’t tell you the reason why but perhaps he’s trying to force an end to the violence by speaking out as early as possibly and try to force efforts for a ceasefire. That seems to be a possibility why he’s decided to act this way.
