Yesterday afternoon the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC explained that “there is reasonable belief that Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes.” Then the statement reads that the two «have criminal responsibility for crimes, including shared participation in acts committed with others: war crimes such as starvation as a method of war and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.” Furthermore, «Netanyahu and Gallant each bear individual criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentional attack against a civilian population». To make everything even more grotesque, the Hague Court also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas terrorist Mohammed Deif, reduced to dust by an Israeli drone in Khan Yunis on 13 July 2024. Now what will happen? As a direct consequence, the 124 states that join the ICC – among which we find Italy – would have the right to execute arrest warrants on their territory, should Netanyahu or Gallant travel to these countries, effectively making it almost impossible for them to travel. abroad. There was unanimous indignation in Israel and solidarity with Netanyahu who commented as follows: «The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is equivalent to the modern Dreyfus trial, and it will end like this. Israel rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and accusations against it by the International Criminal Court, which is a biased and discriminatory political body.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s comment was very harsh, writing in X: «This is a dark day for justice. A dark day for humanity. Taken in bad faith, the outrageous decision of the International Criminal Court has turned universal justice into a universal laughing stock. It mocks the sacrifice of all those who fight for justice, from the Allied victory over the Nazis to today.”
Donald Trump’s strategy against the ICC is ready
US President-elect Donald Trump’s team is already working on punitive measures against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, following the latter’s decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The news was reported this morning by the Kan broadcaster. Although his official inauguration is scheduled for January 20, 2025, Trump has already begun to outline the strategy to deal with the situation once he takes office. According to Washington sources, among the options under consideration would be the imposition of personal sanctions not only on the chief prosecutor and ICC officials, but also on the judges who approved the warrant. Furthermore, the possibility of extending the sanctions to the family members of the members of the Court involved in the decision is being discussed, with the aim of increasing pressure on the judicial body. Yesterday, Trump’s nominee for National Security Advisor Mike Walz tweeted in response to the ICC announcement: «The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the US government. Israel has legally defended its people and its borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to anti-Semitic bias from the ICC and the UN in January.”
Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted: “I will introduce legislation that will put other countries on notice: If you aid and abet the ICC after its action against the State of Israel, you can expect consequences from the United States. Every nation that joins the ICC after this outrage is complicit in a reckless act that tramples on the rule of law.” US House Speaker Mike Johnson also commented on X: «The ICC’s decision to target America’s ally, Israel, is anti-Semitic, reprehensible and completely ridiculous. It has absolutely no jurisdiction over Israel or the United States, and these illegitimate warrants are an attack on the very concepts of sovereignty and due process.” Then Mike Johnson added: «The United States Senate should immediately vote on the bipartisan Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, and President Biden should take clear steps to prevent these warrants from being carried out. If Senator Schumer and President Biden do not act now, they will surely invite future legal conflicts against Israel and the United States. We cannot afford to show weakness.”
New charges against Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
The arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have overshadowed (certainly not by chance) the new accusations and controversies surrounding Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague , already at the center of a sexual harassment case. Khan’s decision to rely on the British law firm Bindmans for his defense is raising controversy, especially due to the possible conflicts of interest that could emerge. According to Ynet, Bindmans represents several Palestinian organizations that have appealed to the ICC to obtain arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials. Among the firm’s partners is Taib Ali, director of the “International Center for Justice for Palestinians”, a London-based organization very active in promoting legal action against Israel on the international scene. Another notable figure at the firm is Alice Hardy, a senior lawyer for the Ramallah-based Palestinian human rights organization Al Haq. Both of these organizations played a central role in bringing cases related to the arrest requests for Netanyahu and Gallant to the Court. Bindmans’ connections to Khan’s family cast further shadow over the matter. The firm, in fact, is also associated with Imran Ahmed Khan, brother of the chief prosecutor. Imran, a former British MP, was convicted of sexual offenses and served an 18-month prison sentence after being found guilty of assaulting a 15-year-old. His conviction led to his expulsion from the party and the collapse of his political career. These developments raise serious questions about the impartiality and professional ethics of the chief prosecutor, generating growing criticism of the management of the International Criminal Court.
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