The ICC & ICJ Does Not Operate On Double Standards:
The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to seek arrest warrants for several Hamas leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant caught the world’s attention.
This decision shows that the ICC and the International Criminal Court (ICJ), unlike the US government, does not operate on double standards.
Reality is Israel has not been able to achieve any of its goals in Gaza. It has failed to destroy Hamas or forcefully release the Israeli hostages. These failures were coupled with major diplomatic and other failures.
In response to the genocide and to show their support for the Palestinians, Spain, Ireland, and Norway declared their recognition of the State of Palestine.
The World Court has determined that there is a plausible case for genocide in Gaza and issued a number of orders to Israel. The latest of these orders is the Rafah ceasefire order.
Despite a genocide that has been ongoing for almost eight months and a ceasefire pressing US popular opinion, President Biden is still offering full support to Israel. President denies that there is a genocide in Gaza and has criticized the ICC. Secretary Blinken pledged to work with the US Congress to sanction and punish the ICC.
The Biden administration’s hypocrisy is galling. This same administration that supported the ICC when it issued similar warrants of arrest against President Putin of Russia has, in effect, declared war on the ICC for doing its job as to Gaza.
Some have made an issue out of the fact that the chief judge of the World Court is a Lebanese Muslim, and the chief prosecutor of the ICC is a Muslim. The backgrounds of these well-respected jurists are irrelevant. Additionally, most of the judges and the staff are not Muslim or Arab. In fact, one of the judges on the World Court is an Israeli judge appointed to the Court by the current Israeli government. He too agreed that there is a plausible case for genocide. The decisions of the World Court and the ICC are about Israel's conduct.
“The ICC and the ICJ are staffed by professional and competent people of all backgrounds,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “We urge full support for the work of the ICJ and the ICC,” concluded Hamad.