THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court urged judges on Monday to act urgently on his request to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others linked to the Gaza war, adding that the court has jurisdiction to do so.
“It is established that the court has jurisdiction in this case,” prosecutor Karim Khan said in a 49-page letter.
Khan called on a panel of ICC investigative judges to “urgently issue their decision” on the arrest warrants he requested in May against Netanyahu, his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders, two of whom have since been killed.
Khan’s letter came in response to legal arguments from dozens of countries, academics, victims’ groups and human rights organizations rejecting or supporting the ICC’s power to issue arrest warrants as part of its investigation into the Gaza war and the Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7.
In the request he filed in May, Khan accused Netanyahu, Gallant and three Hamas leaders — Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh — of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Haniyeh and Deif have since been killed. Sinwar, Hamas’ top official in Gaza and mastermind of the 7 October attacks, was later named the group’s new leader.
“Shame”
Netanyahu called the prosecutor’s accusations a “disgrace” and an attack on the Israeli army and all of Israel. He vowed to press ahead with the war in Gaza.
Hamas also criticised Khan’s actions, saying the call to arrest its leaders equated “the victim with the executioner.”
Israel is not a member of the ICC, so even if arrest warrants are issued, Netanyahu and Gallant are not at immediate risk of prosecution. However, the threat of arrest would make it difficult for Israeli leaders to travel abroad.
European Union Petition
Borrell asks the Iranian Foreign Minister to “de-escalate” in order to reduce regional tensions.
Tensions
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, spoke the day before yesterday with the new Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, about “the need for de-escalation and moderation” in order to defuse regional tensions.
Critical dialogue
“I spoke with Iran’s new Foreign Minister @araqchi about the prospects for renewed engagement on all issues of mutual interest, including the need for de-escalation and restraint, stopping military cooperation with Russia against Ukraine, and nuclear non-proliferation,” Borrell said on his official Twitter account. “Critical dialogue is essential to defuse regional tensions.”
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2024-09-03 00:59:14
