ICC slams indimidation of its staff amid “israeli” war crimes probe

Alameen Templeton

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has called for an immediate end to the “intimidation of its staff”, amid Israeli pleas to the US to prevent the court from prosecuting its leaders for war crimes.

Such threats could constitute an offense against the world’s permanent war crimes court, it warned in a statement Friday.

Israeli media last week Saturday broke the news that the ICC was drawing up arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

Netanyahu has called on the US to prevent the court from issuing the arrest warrants related an ICC probe into the Nazi state’s conduct in the occupied territories.

The ICC prosecutor’s office said in a statement on X all attempts to impede, intimidate or improperly influence its officials must cease immediately.  In seemed to imply individual officials had been coerced in some manner in recent days.

US and israeli politicians have been vociferous in their condemnation of the court’s probe, with many calling on the US to somehow force the court to drop the investigation. A group of US high-ranking politicians also held a virtual meeting with the court’s staff earlier in the week.

“The Office of the Prosecutor is aware that there is significant public interest in its investigations,” the court’s statement on X read, adding “the Office seeks to engage constructively with all stakeholders whenever such dialogue is consistent with its mandate under the Rome Statute to act independently and impartially”.

The statement indicated that the Court and the Court personnel received threats.

“The independence and impartiality are undermined, however, when individuals threaten to retaliate against the Court or against Court personnel should the office, in fulfillment of its mandate, make decisions about investigations or cases falling within its jurisdiction,” the statement added.

The Rome Statute, which outlines the ICC’s mandate, procedures and rules, prohibits these actions.

“Such threats, even when not acted upon, may also constitute an offense against the administration of justice under Art. 40 of the Rome Statute,” it said, adding:

“The Office insists that all attempts to impede, intimidate or improperly influence its officials cease immediately”.

The ICC has been conducting an investigation since 2021 into possible war crimes in Palestine dating back to the 2014 war. The probe was recently expanded to include Israel’s genocidal attack on Gaza, after Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7.

“Israel” has also told the Biden administration it may take “retaliatory steps against the Palestinian Authority, that could lead to its collapse” if it issues the arrest warrants.

Two Israeli officials on Axios claimed “Palestinian Authority officials are pressing the ICC prosecutor to issue arrest warrants against Israeli leaders”.

They said the “Israeli” cabinet would likely make an official decision to punish the Palestinian Authority”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed deep concern over the possibility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for him and other high-ranking officials, according to Israeli media.

Maariv newspaper reported Netanyahu is “unnaturally afraid and worried” about the prospect of facing an ICC arrest warrant in The Hague, quoting anonymous sources.

It said Netanyahu had appealed to many national leaders and officials, including US President Joe Biden, in a bid to head off an arrest warrant.

“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense,” he thundered on X.

The Wall Street Journal has urged the US and UK to forestall the warrants somehow.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health says 34 622 Palestinians have been killed, and 77 867 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.