Will the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain a fantasy, or will it become a reality after the request for "full compliance" with the arrest warrants for him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was issued by the International Criminal Court? Both are accused of violating international law and committing war crimes in Gaza.
Netanyahu used starvation as a weapon of war, as well as restricting and preventing medical supplies and drugs from reaching civilians. The court has accused him of murder, persecution, and other crimes against humanity.
“The Chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant bear criminal responsibility,” the International Criminal Court’s statement says, for “individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity, from at least 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024.
The ICC’s issuance of the warrant and red notices is not the only step that was not surprising, the statements from countries traditionally supportive of Israeli leaders, including several European nations, were also predictable. Although France suggested that Netanyahu had immunity, the UK left the door to his arrest somewhat open, committing to compliance with the court's decision and arresting Netanyahu and Gallant if they entered its territory or passed through it. What is surprising, is that this court that is often accused of bias, even being described by some as a "third world court," made this decision.
The arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Gallant might be the first step towards achieving justice for the victims, albeit symbolically. The issuance of the warrant is itself a turning point in the prosecution of war criminals, stirring still waters with its indictment of the two Israeli leaders and leaving them nearly isolated globally.
Netanyahu has gone on a murderous rampage in Gaza and Lebanon, with nothing deterring his actions and his perpetuation of the conflict to evade corruption trials in Israel. However, the situation has become more difficult today; he is now pursued both domestically and internationally, which may reflect on his mania fueled by war, killing, and destruction. It could push him to inflict additional violence to hide behind the corpses, the blood of the innocent, and the rubble of destroyed homes in Gaza and Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he would not recognize the decision of the International Criminal Court, and is considering options for how to respond. In a press conference, he said, "Today is a black day in the history of nations," ignoring the fact that the people of the world are rejoicing over the decision. They do not see it as a black day. Continuing to show derangement, he added that the decision reflects the “moral bankruptcy” of democratic nations, while the facts point in the opposite direction: his policies are morally bankrupt. They have fuelled genocide, killing even the hostages, as dozens of Israeli hostages have been killed due to his dithers and insistence to continue the war of extermination, starvation, and destruction.
Netanyahu would not have been so high-handed if it were not for the outgoing US President Joe Biden’s “carte blanche.” Biden called the Court's "outrageous," reflecting Biden and his administration's continued support for Netanyahu's crimes. Netanyahu's office also considers the decision "anti-Semitic," making the typical accusation raised against anyone who opposes the genocidal war waged by Netanyahu's army, which is armed with the latest weapons and bombs, against a people who cannot even meet their basic needs.
Although Netanyahu and his supporters reject the court's decision, the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" has reported that Israeli military officials are worried this precedent could lead to the issuance of arrest warrants against other high-ranking military officials involved in the war. This fear is a healthy sign. It could compel many of Netanyahu's generals to abandon him; otherwise, they could find themselves in the same cell, if only in dreams or fantasies. However, the mere issuance of the decision, and the determination of major countries like Britain, Italy, and France to implement it, will have a significant impact in limiting the appetite of many of Netanyahu's generals for Palestinian blood. They had been safe and immune, a luxury that is no longer guaranteed after the unprecedented arrest warrants.
