The International Criminal Court (ICC ) prosecutor Khan issued arrest warrants for Israeli PM Netanyahu and his Defence Minister Gallant. Also, for the three Hamas leaders Haniyeh, Sinwar and Al-Masri. Mr Khan said evidence shows NETANYAHU and GALLAND committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. They intentionally directed attacks against the civilians of Gaza, including women and children, causing starvation, suffering and willfully killing.
HANIYEH, SINWAR AND AL-MASRI are accused of planning and instigated the commission of crimes on October 7, 2023, and acknowledged their responsibility for those crimes They are accused of crime and crimes against humanity: taking hostages, cruel treatment, murder, torture and rape.
The International Criminal Court, founded with the international treaty known as the Rome Statute. tries individuals for serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes, crime of aggression and crimes against humanity. There are 124 countries as ICC signatories except the United States and Israel.
After the application of prosecutor Mr Khan was submitted to the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Israel and Hamas leaders, a panel of three judges decides whether to issue the arrest warrants and allow a case to proceed. It usually takes two months for the judges to decide.
After Mr Khan issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, there were many threats from U.S. politicians.
President Biden called it outrageous.
Senator Lindsey Graham urges Israel to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza to end the war.
The speaker of the House Johnson demands the U.S. government to punish the ICC for issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu.
Secretary of state Anthony Blinken said the U.S. will starve the world if Palestine becomes a state.
Twelve US Senators signed a letter to ICC threatening to invade the ICC in Hague, if Israel faces war crimes charges.
The twelve Senators are: Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell, Katie Boyd Britt, Marsha Blackburn, Ted Budd, Kevin Cramer, Bill Hagerty, Pete Ricketts, Rick Scott, Tim Scott, and Ted Cruz.
Senator Sanders says the U.S. government cannot apply international law, only when it is convenient. For example, when the ICC issued the arrest of Putin for genocide and crimes against humanity for the Ukrainian people, the U.S. government applauded its actions.
It appears that Netanyahu is above international law and he has become Biden’s Achilles heel. The U.S. has a lot to lose by supporting Israel. The intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and others eager to join, known as the BRICS, are planning to abandon the U.S. dollar and form their own currency. Therefore the American people should ask themselves: is it worth risking of being isolated economically and politically from the rest of the world just to support Israel instead of demanding Israel to agree with Palestine for a two independent state system?
Christos P. Tsonis 