The Hague-based ICC on Thursday issued warrants of arrest for Netanyahu and his axed defence minister Yoav Gallant. Picture: X/@omarsuleiman
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will face arrest in certain countries among the 124 members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) if they enter their jurisdiction.
The ICC, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu and Gallant, marking a major development that has drawn global reaction.
The ICC said the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8 last year to May 2024.
The ICC added there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival”.
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Netanyahu has condemned the arrest warrants against him and Gallant, labelling them antisemitic.
The ICC’s member countries have reacted to warrants and warned they will abide by the courts decision.
Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim welcomed the decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
“[It’s] an important step towards justice and can lead to redress for the victims in general, but it remains limited and symbolic if it is not supported by all means by all countries around the world,” Naim said in a statement.
The South African International Relations Department (Dirco) also welcomed the ICC decision and said it marked a “significant step towards justice for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Palestine”.
“South Africa reaffirms its commitment to international law and urges all state parties to act in accordance with their obligations in the Rome Statute,
“We call on the global community to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability for human rights violations,” Dirco said.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the ICC’s decision must be respected and implemented. “Palestinians deserve justice.”
The United State, however, was scathing in its reaction to the warrants.
The White House said Washington “fundamentally rejects” the ICC’s decision, adding that they are “deeply concerned by the Prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision”.
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“The United States has been clear that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter,” a National Security Council spokesperson said.
Netherland Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said that his country “respects the independence of the ICC”.
“We won’t engage in non-essential contacts and we will act on the arrest warrants. We fully comply with the Rome Statute of the ICC.”
France’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Christophe Lemoine, said that France would act “in line with the ICC’s statutes”.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome would consider with allies how to interpret the decision and act together.
“We support the ICC … the court must play a legal role and not a political role,” he said.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice said it is obliged to cooperate with the ICC under the Rome Statute and would therefore have to arrest Netanyahu, Gallant or Masri if they entered Switzerland and initiate extradition to the court.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would abide by rulings of international courts.
“It’s really important that everyone abide by international law.”
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto condemned the ICC decision, calling it “shameful and absurd”, presidential spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs posted on X.
“This decision disgraces the international judiciary by equating leaders of a country attacked by a heinous terror attack with the leaders of the terrorist organization responsible,” Szijjarto said, adding, “Such a decision is unacceptable.”
Amnesty International on X said the “wheels of international justice have finally caught up with those alleged to be responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine and Israel”.
“There can be no ‘safe haven’ for those alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. “Prime Minister Netanyahu is now officially a wanted man.” it added.
The war in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague and involves requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Israel’s war on Gaza has continued unabated for more than a year, with the number of Palestinians murdered as a result of Israeli bombardment and ground operation surpassing 44,000 as of 28 October.
The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s 7 October attacks stands at 1 139, with dozens of people still held captive.
South Africa’s legal team has filed hundreds of pages in its memorial to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying that it has presented a clear case to the United Nations’ top court in The Hague that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
South Africa filed its memorial to the ICJ as Israel’s parliament approved a bill banning the main UN aid agency for the war-devastated Gaza Strip, sparking international outcry.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Pope Francis urges probe into ‘characteristics of genocide’ by Israel in Gaza
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