On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed that any resolutions made by the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the investigation into the Hamas attack on October 7th and Israel’s military action against Gaza would not influence Israeli strategies but could establish a perilous standard.
“Israel, under my authority, will never acquiesce to any efforts by the ICC in The Hague to destabilise its fundamental right to self-defence,” Mr Netanyahu articulated in a Telegram announcement.
“The resolutions of the Hague-based court will not sway Israel’s actions, albeit they could lay the foundation for a hazardous standard that endangers soldiers and public individuals,” he added.
As reported by Channel 12, one of Israel’s leading television news channels, last week, there is escalating apprehension in Israel about the ICC possibly issuing arrest commands against Mr Netanyahu and other high-ranking officials for supposed transgressions of global law in Gaza.
The narrative revealed that a state of emergency discussion took place in the prime minister’s domain concerning this matter. However, a government representative refrained from promptly responding to queries on the Channel 12 report or its specifics.
Israel, not a member of the ICC located in The Hague and not acknowledging its jurisdiction, took note that the Palestinian territories were allowed membership in 2015.
Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, confirmed in October the court’s jurisdiction over any credible war atrocities committed by Hamas militants in Israel and by Israelis in Gaza.
Mr Khan disclosed that his team is intensely scrutinising any alleged misconduct in Gaza and pledged that violators of the law will be held accountable.
On October 7th, a Hamas-initiated attack on Israeli military bases and homes led to 1,200 fatalities, with 253 taken hostage according to Israeli records.
Since then, Israel launched a comprehensive ground, air, and sea operation that has resulted in over 34,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza officials, wreaking havoc across much of Gaza.
Comprising 124 member states, the ICC possesses the power to prosecute individuals for war atrocities, genocide, crimes against humanity, and aggression.
The ICC lawsuit is separate from the genocide case opened against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also in The Hague.
The ICJ, a United Nations court, settles disputes among states, while the ICC, a treaty-based criminal court, emphasises individual culpability for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. – Reuters
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