Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly soon be arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is believed that Israel will issue an arrest warrant this week.
Israeli media reported how the Tel Aviv government had received indications from legal officials that the ICC was considering issuing arrest warrants against a number of its senior officials. Netanyahu is one of them.
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What happened? What is the chronology?
Collect Associated Press (AP) Previously, the ICC was investigating alleged Israeli crimes in the Palestinian territories since March. This relates to actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in a statement that the investigation would look into “crimes within the court’s jurisdiction that are alleged to have been committed since June 13 2014”. He emphasized that the investigation was carried out independently, impartially and objectively without fear or favor.
“The decision shifts the court’s focus to two key Israeli policies in recent years: repeated military operations against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, marked by a devastating war in 2014, and the expansion of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank that occupied,” wrote the US media, quoted Tuesday (30/4/2024).
“If the investigation identifies suspects allegedly responsible for a crime, prosecutors can ask a judge to issue an international arrest warrant, which can remain confidential to help authorities arrest those accused,” he added.
Bensouda said in 2019 there were reasonable grounds to open a war crimes investigation into Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. The court’s jurisdiction also includes “territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.”
When this was announced the Palestinian Authority welcomed the move. They even called for the investigation to be completed immediately because there were crimes committed by Israeli leaders that were long-term, systematic and far-reaching.
“This long-awaited step represents Palestine’s persistent efforts to achieve justice and accountability as the indispensable foundation for peace,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said.
When the launch of the investigation was announced by the ICC, Netanyahu said “the state of Israel is under attack tonight”.
“The ICC, which was founded to prevent a repeat of the horrors that the Nazis committed against the Jewish people, has now turned against the state of the Jewish people. Of course this treaty does not say a word against Iran and Syria, as well as other tyrannical regimes, which often commit crimes real war,” Netanyahu said at the time
“I promise you that we will fight for the truth until we reverse this shameful decision,” he added.
On the other hand, Hamas also welcomed the start of the investigation. The group even asked Bensouda to “resist any pressure” that could derail the process.
“This is a step forward to apply justice, punish the occupation and give justice to the Palestinian people,” said Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem.
This trial is different from that previously held by the International Court. Previously, South Africa (South Africa) reported allegations of genocide committed by Israel in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s New Response
Meanwhile, responding to the issue of this arrest, quoted from Euronews Monday, Netanyahu said the ICC had gone too far. He said if an arrest occurred, it would set a dangerous precedent.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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