The International Crime Court issued Arrest warrants for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallanton on November 21 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
President Joe Biden said “The ICC issuance of arrest warrant against Israeli leaders is outrageous.”
Biden also remarked that “whatever the ICC might imply, there is no evidence” that Israel has used starvation as a weapon of war.
“The Chamber found that the alleged conduct of Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant concerned the activities of Israeli government bodies and the armed forces against the civilian population in Palestine, more specifically civilians in Gaza,” said the International Crime Court (ICC).
The ICC Chamber, which carries out the judicial function of the court, concluded with reasonable grounds that Netanyahu and Gallant likely committed crimes that occurred during a systematic attack on the civilian population of Gaza.
According to the ICC, they “believe that both individuals intentionally… deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects [essential] to their survival.”
From October of 2023 to May of 2024, multiple life necessities like food, water, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies were taken away or not given to the people of Gaza.
Netanyahu and Gallant were in violation of the International Humanitarian Law by disrupting humanitarian organizations from distributing food and other essential goods to civilians of Gaza. The cutting of electricity and reduction of fuel supply affected the availability of water in Gaza.
This, in turn, negatively affected the ability of hospitals to provide medical care and assistance.
“The Chamber also noted that decisions allowing or increasing humanitarian assistance into Gaza were often conditional,” the ICC observed.
While Israel did supply aid to Gaza, their help was given mainly due to pressure from the International community and additional requests from the United States.
Regardless, the increase of humanitarian aid wasn’t enough to improve the population’s access to required resources and other goods.
According to MSNBC News, “If Netanyahu or Gallant set foot on the territory of a state party, that state party has an obligation to arrest them and transfer them to the Hague.”
If in any event that Netanyahu or Gallant go to any country that’s part of the ICC, like the United Kingdom, Italy, or Japan, they can be arrested and sent to the ICC Detention Center, located on the outskirts of The Hague, a city in the Netherlands.
Despite this, Netanyahu and Gallant are safe to be on American soil if they decide to come here because the US is not a part of the ICC.
Currently, Gallant and Netanyahu are in Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, which is not a listed member of the ICC.
While initially the arrest warrants existence was supposed to remain secret, the court decided to make the warrants public.
The Court’s reasoning was that it was in the best interest of the victims and their families to know of the pending cases’ existence, according to The International Crime Court. The issuing of the warrants also signals that the ICC supports the side of Palestine and weakens Israel’s credibility which can reduce the chances of them gaining or maintaining aid from other countries.
As of this moment, both Netanyahu and Gallant still have the flexibility to maneuver diplomatically between many middle eastern countries that aren’t a part of the ICC.
Along with this, NPR News said “it is unlikely that Netanyahu and Gallant [will] turn themselves in.”
However, if they are arrested, they will go through the courts legal process and can potentially be sentenced for war crimes for any term of years or life if they are arrested and found guilty.