The ICC’s desire to arrest Netanyahu is far from impartial

In a dramatic announcement, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, declared today that he has applied for arrest warrants to be issued for Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. He has applied for three more for the Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniya.

On Hamas, Khan emphasised crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, taking hostages, rape and other sexual violence committed as part of a ‘widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups’ as reasons for issuing the warrants. The chief prosecutor didn’t include alleged crimes perpetrated by Hamas again Palestinian civilians, including allegation that the terror organisation has been using civilians as human shields, that it has allegedly confiscated food and other humanitarian supplies meant for civilians in Gaza, or their well documented use of civilian buildings such as hospitals and schools, for warfare.

With regard to Netanyahu and Gallant, the ICC’s allegations include using starvation as a weapon of war, wilfully causing great suffering, intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population and ‘other inhumane acts’ on Palestinian territory.