The world court has finally begun taking action against Israeli leaders. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif (who is believed to be dead). The court has found both Israeli leaders responsible for war crimes, including using starvation as a tactic of war.Israel and the United States have reacted sharply to this. While Netanyahu raises the usual criticism of ‘anti-Semitism’, the United States argues that the ICC does not have the authority to do so. This is because Israel (and the United States) have not recognized the ICC. It is those who praised the court when the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine, who are now trying to save Netanyahu by finding the excuse of ‘jurisdiction’. The court has made it clear that Palestine will fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC even though Israel is not. Not only is Israel’s ‘anti-Semitic’ argument childish, but the fact that one of the unanimous legal advisors in favour of the warrant is Theodor Meron is a blow to that argument. Meron, a legal scholar, human rights scholar, and professor of international law, was previously an Israeli ambassador to the UN. Given that the warrant was issued based on a report signed by Meron, who spent four years in Nazi captivity and barely survived the Holocaust, it is becoming clear how hollow the Semitic love for Netanyahu, who was born in Poland and immigrated to Israel, is.
The question before the world community, apart from Israel’s oppressive rulers and their foreign allies, is something else: Why did it come so late? In a decade-old case, the ICC only began investigating Israel’s crimes in 2021. While that dragged on, the genocide began before the eyes of the world. And it took another 13 months for the arrest warrant to be issued. The reason for this delay is the upper hand of the guilty countries in the global system. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has been accused of being negligent in initiating legal action against Israel. In addition, threats have been made against the prosecutor, the world court judges, officials, and their families. Some US leaders have also publicly threatened that ICC judges and families will face reprisals, including bans, in the United States if they move against Israel. A similar law was passed by Congress in 2002 during the George Bush administration. The ICC is proceeding directly and without hesitation in all this out of the interest of justice and the rule of law. Karim Khan approached the ICC in May seeking an arrest warrant, but the British court questioned the jurisdiction of the court, intending to delay further proceedings. Now, the ICC has closed all the loopholes in the law and issued the warrant, establishing its jurisdiction beyond a doubt. This is the first time in a while that the world court has touched America's 'favourites'. All 124 countries that have recognized the court are obliged to execute the warrant. They have the responsibility to arrest the accused if they set foot in their country and hand them over to the court. At the very least, this significantly restricts the freedom of movement of the accused.
This case is also becoming a test of how many countries respect the rule of law internationally. The United States is the one that is ready to sacrifice global justice for Israel with complete servitude. There are indications that even Britain, which should be considered a co-defendant, is freeing itself from that subservience. The European Union has publicly stated that it will respect the ICC warrant. Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria (some of which have even criticized the ICC action) have declared their obligation to comply with the warrant action. This desire to ensure the rule of law is welcome, whether it is motivated by a sense of justice or by the realization that it is necessary for self-defence. It can be assumed that whose blood was shed in Gaza and elsewhere will change the world order. Events so far indicate that the isolation of Israel (and America) is an inevitable part of this. The forces of injustice are not easily defeated. It is in the interest of a peace-seeking world to control those who go to any extreme in force, hypocrisy, and demonism. Although it is not possible yet to assume that the arrest warrant issued by the ICC is sure to lead to the trial and punishment of the criminals, it is a strong signal. It is a declaration that the world will not accept anyone who thinks he is above the law and humanity. In today's darkness, even this small light has enough brightness.