International Criminal Court & Israel
➡️ Israel’s Relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC)
The ICC was originally founded in 2002, as the world's first permanent international court its purpose is to investigate and prosecute the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
Israel initially supported the idea, however never ratified the treaty. After decades of conflict with Palestine and multiple accusations of war crimes, Israel undoubtedly has a turbulent relationship with the ICC.
Israel does not acknowledge the jurisdiction of the ICC, and disputes its recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state. On May 20, 2024, the ICC submitted a bid for the arrest warrants of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence minister Gallant, and three Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif.
These warrants are on the grounds of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the current Hamas-Israel War which began in October 2023.
Netanyahu has labelled these allegations as “antisemitic” and “an attempt to deny Israel the basic right of self-defence.” German, British, and U.S. governments have all rushed to defend the Israeli PM and disapprove of the ICC’s decision.
At this stage the arrest warrants are still pending approval by the court's judges, they also do not include any accusations of genocide. In response to the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant, the U.S. House of Representatives has made steps to sanction the ICC. The sanctions are unlikely to pass through the Senate, but the message of support for Israel is loud and clear. The U.S. is also not a member of the ICC as it views the court as a threat to U.S. interests.
Palestine on the other hand became a member of the ICC in 2015. Since then, they have been submitting evidence of alleged war crimes by the Israeli army. The court has previously recognised the evidence and a need to address the situation, but this is the first time they have taken any formal action.
The ICC is an intergovernmental organisation and international tribunal founded on the Rome Statute and seated in The Hague, Netherlands. The ICC operates separately from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which is a judicial organ of the United Nations and hears disputes between states.
Independent of the the ICC, in May 2024, South Africa's Genocide Case Against Israel via the ICJ ruled that Israel must halt any military offensive in Rafah and provide "unhindered provision at scale" of basic services and aid into Gaza. Israel responded by rejecting the court's ruling and maintain that their military operations fall in line with international law.
For Netanyahu, confrontation with both the ICC and ICJ serves to affirm his conviction that the world is working to harm Israel. However, even if both courts are incapable of ending the war, their rulings play an important role in accumulating pressure – with the potential to grow great enough to force Israel into accepting a ceasefire and allowing the citizens of Israel and Palestine to live without fear of death, destruction, and hunger.
Author: Edited by Rachael Mellor 06.06.24 licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
For more information on the ICC and Israel see below ⬇️
- ICC encourages those with information about war crimes in Gaza to submit information via the OTP link - ICC414602
- Israel Massacres - recommended documentation website404036
- We Sign It! - Sign the Petition!133891
- Guardian - ICC414556
- Google News133886
- YouTube133887
- #ICC4Israel133888
- #IndictGermany407594
- @ICC4IsraelNow (?)133889
- Karim Ahmad Khan - Wikipedia414543
- International Law and the Arab–Israeli Conflict - Wikipedia133909
- Alleged violations of international humanitarian law - Wikipedia133892
- International Criminal Court investigation in Palestine - Wikipedia 403836
- 93 Nations Support ICC as Israel Faces Charges for War Crimes in Gaza - Truthout 16.06.24420413
- US House of Reps passes bill authorising sanctions on ICC following Israel arrest warrants - Global Sanctions 06.06.24417497
- UK Conservative government would 'defy' ICC Israel arrest warrants: Deputy PM - MEE 05.06.24417492
- US House seeks to sanction ICC after warrant seeking for Israel’s Netanyahu - Al Jazeera 05.06.24417488
- US votes to punish ICC for seeking arrest warrant against Netanyahu - Canary 05.06.24417428
- US House passes legislation to sanction ICC over Gaza warrants bid - BBC 04.06.24417487
- House Votes to Impose Sanctions on I.C.C. Officials Over Israel Prosecution - NY Times 04.06.24417491
- Israel’s clashes with the ICC over the past decade – a timeline of events - Al Jazeera 30.05.24417493
- “This Is a Crime”: Ken Roth on Israel’s Secret War Targeting the ICC to Derail War Crimes Charges - DN! 30.05.24417181
- The ICJ and ICC put Israel on notice but cannot stop the war - Chatham House 30.05.24417498
- Video: Israel's Secret Undermining of the ICC to Derail War Crimes Charges - DN! 30.05.24417486
- Spying, hacking and intimidation: Israel’s nine-year ‘war’ on the ICC EXPOSED - Guardian 28.05.24 (must read)415927
- How the ICC, ICJ rulings could have deeper, long-term implications for Israel - Jewish Insider 28.05.24415908
- Revealed: Israeli spy chief ‘threatened’ ICC prosecutor over war crimes inquiry: Mossad director Yossi Cohen personally involved in secret plot to pressure Fatou Bensouda to …415910
- REVEALED: Israeli spy chief ‘threatened’ ICC prosecutor over war crimes inquiry - Guardian 28.05.24415926
- Surveillance and interference: Israel’s covert war on the ICC exposed: Top Israeli government and security officials have overseen a nine-year surveillance operation targetin…415911
- The great significance of the ICC’s step: This is a good step: no one should be able to commit international crimes with impunity, and accountability should not be a mere mir…415909
- Sticks, Not Carrots: ICC Battle Signals Global Impatience With Intransigent Israel - Haaretz 27.05.24415872
- Israel's ICJ defiance threatens international law and global stability - TRT World 27.05.24415901
- ICC prosecutor condemns Israel’s ‘collective punishment’ in Gaza as war crime - Middle East Monitor 27.05.24415904
- ICC Warrant against Netanyahu ‘Unacceptable’, Hungarian Government Says - Hungarian Conservative 27.05.24415903
- Factsheet: The ICJ and ICC - The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) 27.05.24415877
- Like it or not, the International Criminal Court has implied equivalence - The Age 27.05.24415906
- ICC prosecutor says Israel not 'akin' to Hamas: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has said that Israel committing crimes against humanity and war crimes doesn't mean it is like Hamas…415876
- Why doesn't US admit ICC's arrest warrants for Netanyahu? - Mehr News Agency 26.05.24415787
- ‘UK did not bomb Belfast to get IRA’, says prosecutor seeking Netanyahu arrest: Karim Khan of the ICC compares Israel-Hamas war to the Troubles as he accuses both leaders of …415788
- The Prosecutor’s Uphill Legal Battle?: The Netanyahu and Gallant ICC Arrest Warrant Requests - Just Security 25.05.24415822
- The war against Israel in the courts is a danger to Britain’s Armed Forces, too: Malicious actors are exploiting the ICC and ICJ, and it will have implications far beyond the…415785
- The ICJ's latest ruling delivers new hope to Palestinians in Gaza - TRT World 25.05.24415784
- Get to Know the International Criminal Court - Better World Campaign 25.05.24415905
- Video: Former ICC chief prosecutor: ‘Netanyahu is afraid’ - Al Jazeera Upfront 24.05.24 (must watch)415526
- Report of the Panel of Experts in International Law, Convened by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the …414603
- Germany's dilemma: Support Hague or Netanyahu - DW 24.05.24417501
- All Eyes on The Hague: The ICC Prosecutor’s Move against Hamas and Israeli Leaders - Crisis Group 24.05.24415826
- Karim Khan’s pursuit of Benjamin Netanyahu is more an act of cynicism than justice - The National 24.05.24415706
- The UK should pull its funding from the International Criminal Court - The JC 24.05.24415703
- Communication to the ICC Procecutor against Ursula v.d. Leyen for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza - TFF 24.05.24417777
- US lawmaker threats against International Criminal Court violate international law - International Service for Human Rights 24.05.24415827
- ICC Cases Against Israel and Hamas: A Preliminary Assessment - Arab Center Washington DC 24.05.24415707
- Israel slams Germany for saying it would arrest, deport Netanyahu if ICC issues warrant - The Times of Israel 24.05.24415700
- The ICC and the nature of legal power: Moves towards the possible arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders show international law breaking free from its old geopolitica…415799
- The ICC is not in the business of peacemaking, but it can deliver justice: ICC arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders will not bring peace, but it is beyond time to gi…415825
- Israel faces unprecedented challenges as legal and diplomatic pressure mounts - CNN 24.05.24415786
- US pressure could derail ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders - Al Jazeera 24.05.24415268
- The ICC Takes Unprecedented Action with Israel-Hamas Leadership Arrest Warrants - Australian Institute of International Affairs 24.05.24415800
- Don’t Go to War With the ICC: America Can Help Israel Without Attacking the Court - Foreign Affairs 24.05.24415821
- Netanyahu case will make or break the ICC: The Hague court is coming in for scrutiny over Israel-Hamas moves - Politico 24.05.24415820
- Who is Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court? - The Economist 24.05.24415796
- US pressure could derail ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders: Court faces pressure after chief prosecutor announces he is seeking to arrest Israeli leaders for actions in…415798
- Offense is the Best Defense: Israel's ICC Strategy - Kohelet Policy Forum 24.05.24414852
- Despite Biden's ICC rejection, US sometimes sides with court - VOA News 24.05.24415802
- What the International Criminal Court’s anticipated arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Hamas leaders mean for Canada - York University 24.05.24415803
- Criticising arrest bid for Netanyahu a 'huge mistake', former ICC prosecutor says - France24 23.05.24417502
- Israel’s Netanyahu, Gallant in ICC prosecutor’s crosshairs over Gaza war crimes: ICC can prosecute crimes in occupied Palestinian territories despite Israel's non-membership …415115
- Over 120 rights organizations urge US president to respect ICC independence: Groups want US administration to reject threats from US lawmakers to sanction court officials - A…415114
- No impunity for atrocity crimes: Advocating for accountability in Palestine and defending the ICC's independence - International Institute of Social Studies 23.05.24415092
- ICC prosecutor's request: Will Israel's Netanyahu be arrested? - TRT Afrika 23.05.24415702
- Israel's allies grapple with bid for ICC warrant against Netanyahu - Reuters 23.05.24415795
- Israel and Hamas: Possible International Criminal Court (ICC) Arrest Warrants: Impact and Initial Reactions - Congressional Research Service 23.05.24415708
- Assessing ICC’s decision: Do the accusations against Israel form a valid case? - The Times of Israel 23.05.24415783
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese grilled on ICC Israeli arrest warrant, directs 'hypotheticals' to Howard government: Anthony Albanese has dodged questions about Australia’s p…415045
- Powerful states are finding it harder to dodge legal challenges, says Marc Weller: The law professor believes the ICC’s creeping jurisdiction is part of a broader trend - The…415791
- Hungary says ICC warrant against Israel's Netanyahu 'unacceptable' - Reuters 23.05.24415049
- ICC arrest warrants put Israel's Western allies at a crossroads: The ICC's request for arrest warrants has created a diplomatic dilemma for Western member states: do they sup…415824
- What You Need to Know About the ICC and the Israel-Hamas War - American Jewish Committee (AJC) 23.05.24415819
- No Immunity for Heads of State for International Crimes: What is the current state of international law on the question of immunity for heads of state indicted before interna…415818
- Germany would implement ICC arrest warrants against Israel - MEM 23.05.24417500
- ICC arrest warrants would be an anti-colonial step - Guardian 23.05.24415823
- What do the ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders mean for US policy? - The New Arab 23.05.24415187
- US senator backs ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders: 'What the ICC has done is important for the global community, in the sense that we cannot allow the human race to de…415111
- Germany would 'arrest Netanyahu' if ICC issues warrant: Berlin said it would 'abide by the law' after ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan said he would seek an arrest warrant for…415143
- Experts slam ICC for quick case against Israel while ignoring brutal regimes: 'Totally politically driven': Court accused of being politicized, hamstrung by limited scope - F…415050
- The Role of NGOs in Supporting the International Criminal Court (ICC) Investigation - Institute for NGO Research 23.05.24415890
- Germany says it will ARREST Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country following ICC call to charge him with war crimes - as Israel becomes increasingly isolated over …415046
- Why ICC arrest warrants matter, even if Israel and Hamas leaders evade them: The role of the International Criminal Court and the limits to its authority, explained - Vox 22…414805
- Can Karim Khan and the ICC survive the West's double standards? - The New Arab 22.05.24415186
- The rages of equivalence: the ICC Prosecutor, Israel and Hamas - Middle East Monitor 22.05.24414873
- ICYMI: In Response to Graham, Blinken Agrees to Work on Sanctioning ICC for Actions Against Israel - United States Senator Lindsey Graham 22.05.24415119
- Biden should not resort to Trump-style aggression following events at the ICC - Chatham House 22.05.24415151
- Germany says it will arrest Netanyahu as Israeli envoy appeals to Berlin to defy ICC: Israel's ambassador urges the German government to reject the "outrageous" ICC move - Je…415123
- US House speaker rebuffs ICC arrests warrants for Israeli leaders: 'If the ICC is allowed to threaten Israel's leaders, we know that America will be next,' says Mike Johnson …415113
- Significance Of The Arrest Warrant Issued By The International Criminal Court - Legal Service India 22.05.24415200
- UK Labour reaffirms backing of ICC as Israeli leaders face arrest warrants - The New Arab 22.05.24415188
- More than 100 MPs, lords urge UK to support ICC following arrest warrants request - Anadolu Ajansı 22.05.24415117
- What next as ICC prosecutor seeks warrants for Israeli leaders? Pre-trial chamber with three judges will evaluate ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s application to determine if the …414960
- International Criminal Court labelling Israeli, Hamas leaders as same ‘troubling’: Trudeau: But Canada firmly believes in rule of international law, premier says - Anadolu Aj…415120
- GOP push for ICC sanctions puts Democrats in a bind - Axios 22.05.24415071