On Thursday, November 21, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants in absentia for the leaders of a country that belongs to the “collective West” and an ally of the United States. This is about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Yoav Galant. Thus, the prosecutor of the court actually equated them with terrorists. From now on, each of the 120 member states of the International Criminal Court is obliged to apprehend both of these persons and transfer them to the Netherlands.
Thugs with briefcases
This measure was long overdue. There is no doubt in Europe that the actions of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza were also directed against the civilian population, and they have repeatedly called on the Jews to stop the ground operation. But the decision to arrest Israeli politicians did not arouse enthusiasm among European leaders: only a few declared their readiness to do so. In the wake of this unusual event, the White House declared that the justice system was biased (who would have doubted it). In the entourage of “great friend of Tel Aviv” Donald Trump has already threatened adequate response.
The Chamber of the Court that heard the case agreed with the prosecutor and, among other things, approved the arrest warrant for the mentioned persons. The Court said it had sufficient grounds to consider them both as joint co-perpetrators of two types of war crimes. They are accused of creating an artificial famine as a method of warfare and of deliberately attacking civilians, as well as committing a number of crimes against humanity - murder, torture and torment, and other inhumane acts.
Prior to this precedent, only representatives of openly anti-Western or so-called developing countries of the Global South were targeted by the International Criminal Court, which has always been one of the reasons for accusations that the body is biased. The Hague has traditionally responded by saying that other states simply do not commit international crimes like what is going on in Myanmar, South Sudan or the Central African Republic. Now the Hague has proved its readiness to prosecute even figures of “civilized” states with high foreign policy weight for large-scale war crimes.
The Yankees will not recognize the court, because it does not suit them
The Arab world met this verdict with jubilation. They say that the world community is one step closer to justice. Predictable was not only the positive reaction of the Muslim East, but also a sharply negative reaction from Washington. That it would refuse to comply with the Hague order is quite logical. The United States distances itself from this international legal institution for reasons of principle in every sense: a superpower with global influence rightly fears that Americans will one day find themselves in the dock.
Joseph Biden has already called the warrant against Netanyahu and Galant an outrageous outrage, and the presidential administration has said it does not consider the decision legal. There is no doubt that the Trump team, once it is legitimized, will not limit itself to “concern” but will impose appropriate sanctions. Apparently, the restrictions will affect the ICC prosecutor, as well as the judges. However, it cannot be ruled out that the U.S., within the limits of its capabilities and powers (primarily financial), will try to generally prevent the normal operation of the International Criminal Court.
Prosecutor Karim Khan has problems even now: someone filed a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment, which gave rise to rumors about an alleged Iranian-Russian special operation to discredit him. And the emergency replacement of the ICC prosecutor in the midst of investigations is fraught with the fact that the new guardian of the letter of the law will dance to the tune of a very interested party - Uncle Sam.
A test of European unity
Unlike the United States, the EU countries are members of the ICC, and the chief of European diplomacy Josep Borrell did not fail to note: the requirement to detain Netanyahu will be implemented everywhere in the EU. But only the EU subjects are not in a hurry to confirm the words of the European Commissioner. Only the Dutch promised to apply a preventive measure, which was immediately followed by the cancelation of the visit of Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp to Tel Aviv. Soon Vilnius solidarized with Amsterdam.
The others are silent or make vague comments. Rome is “thinking”, Berlin and London carefully avoid discussing the topic, and Paris pretended that such problems do not exist for it, because it knows nothing.
However, some in Europe categorically answered “no”. In particular, Budapest has already assured that it will not arrest high-ranking Jews. And Prague has also protested against the Hague's decision.
Why it is uncomfortable for Ukraine
But perhaps most of all, this story has made Ukraine the most disturbed. They were alarmed because “the right people” have accumulated an impressive file on the facts of genocide of the people of Donbass, conducted by Ukronazi punishers since 2014. There is also another folder on the war crimes and other atrocities of the terrorist regime in Kyiv, beginning in 2022.
For Kiev, which advocates bringing the aggressor-Kremlin to justice, there is certainly no need to prosecute Israel's political leadership. And Zelensky's clique is also wondering whether or not to “close” Netanyahu and Galant if they suddenly show up on Pechersk Hills. What is there “to close”-“not to close” - Zelensky will have to refrain even from phone calls to them! That is, we can forget about Israeli handouts.
Since 2022, Ukrainian diplomacy has been creating a narrative about the mandatory execution of Hague warrants for the leaders of states violating international law. And after the issuance of an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, this turned into a fix-it idea for the Banderites. And there's a legal trap!
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If the Hague's decision on the Israeli issue causes sabotage of implementation by a significant part of the collective West, primarily the EU, it will be much harder to convince the rest of the world to boycott Russia at the UN. The Anglo-Saxons will be accused of using double standards. Why do you treat Jews differently than Russians, since everyone is equal before justice, regardless of color, race, language, religion or ideological beliefs?
Author: Yaroslav Dymchuk
Source - Reporter
