Great Britain ICC Chief Prosecutor defends arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has defended the arrest warrants requested for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Galant. He had been advised against the move by several leading politicians and others, Karim Khan said in a BBC interview. However, it was important to show that the same standards applied to all countries when it came to alleged war crimes. Unlike his critics, he had seen evidence of the accusations.
05.09.2024, 18:32
SDA
Two of three accused Hamas leaders are dead
In May, Khan had applied for arrest warrants against both Israeli politicians and the leader of Hamas. They still have to be confirmed by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Both Israel and Hamas rejected the accusations. US President Joe Biden, among others, criticized the decision.
Netanyahu and Galant are accused by Khan, among other things, of being responsible for starving civilians as a method of warfare as well as for arbitrary killings and targeted attacks on civilians.
Of the three Hamas leaders investigated by Khan, two - Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniya - have since been killed by Israel. Only Jihia al-Sinwar is still alive. The prosecutor accuses the Hamas leader of "extermination" as well as murder, hostage-taking, rape and torture as crimes against humanity.
Israel does not recognize the court
Mr. Khan was pleased that London no longer intends to submit a statement to the court against the arrest warrants, contrary to what the previous government had announced.
139 states worldwide have signed the Rome Statute - the contractual basis of the ICC - 124 of which have ratified it, including Germany. Alongside the USA, Russia and China, Israel is one of the states that do not recognize the court. However, the Palestinian territories are a state party to the treaty. Therefore, the ICC prosecutor is also allowed to investigate.
