Bibi brazens it out as world digests ICC warrants (updated)

Alameen Templeton

Benjamin Netanyahu is putting on a brave face – he says he’s “disgusted” with the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued Monday – but the call to accountability is probably the first nail being driven into the coffin of a political career dripping in blood.

Other “Israeli” politicians are already circling opportunistically like sharks that can smell blood in the water. “Centrist” Benny Gantz has already said he’ll resign if Netanyahu is unable to produce an “after-Gaza” plan by June 8.

Netanyahu’s co-accused, defence minister Yoav Gallant, has also threatened to depart Netanyahu’s shaky coalition government if “israel” elects to reoccupy Gaza.

Gantz has already spelled out a six-point plan that includes the return of hostages, ending Hamas’ rule, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip and establishing an international administration of civilian affairs with American, European, Arab and Palestinian cooperation. The plan also looks to “normalising” relations with Saudi Arabia and widen military service to all “israelis”.

Like most “israelis”, Gantz has had enough of Netanyahu. “If you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss — we will be forced to quit the government,” he said.

But Netanyahu is trying to brazen it out.

“With what audacity do you dare compare the monsters of Hamas to the soldiers of the [IOF}, the most moral army in the world?” he railed at the ICC warrants.

He swore he would not relent on the Gaza genocide: “”I pledge that no pressure and no decision in any international forum will prevent us from striking those who seek to destroy us,” he declared. “We will overthrow the evil rule of Hamas and achieve complete victory.”

His protest was one among many as “israel’s” political establishment railed against the first salvo from the ICC that is seeking to end “israel’s” track record of immunity from global accountability.

Foreign Minister Israel Jatz said the warrant application was a “historical disgrace” and a “scandalous decision”.

“israel” would establish a special council to combat the ICC move and to devise diplomatic efforts to sabotage it.

“israeli” president Isaac Herzog – who is facing war crimes charges in Switzerland – claimed the application signalled a collapse in the global judicial system.

US President Joe Biden slammed the ICC decision to prosecute Hamas and “israel” in the same brief.

“Let me be clear,” he said, “whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas.”

“It’s clear Israel wants to do all it can to ensure civilian protection,” Biden said. “Let me be clear: What’s happening is not genocide.”

The US cannot afford a genocide tag being successfully prosecuted against “israel” because that would be just one step away from accusing the US and Biden himself of the same crime.

Biden has resolutely stood by “israel” throughout the Gaza genocide. He has enabled its campaign with weapons, ammunition, cash and diplomatic sanctuary at the UN despite repeated warnings he’s opening himself up to war crime accusations.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan brushed aside Biden’s criticisms last night, telling CNN: “Nobody is above the law.”

Neither the US nor Israel are members of the ICC. Arrest warrants against Netanyahu or Gallant, will make it extremely difficult for either Israeli leader to travel to any of the 124 countries that are party to the court’s laws, including top US allies Britain and Germany, who are obliged to extradite those subjected to the warrants.

Britain has also slammed the warrants. It too has been a major supporter with arms and diplomatic protection of the genocide. It described the warrants as “not helpful”.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken, another staunch genocide enabler, said the US “fundamentally rejects” the arrest warrants, warning they could “jeopardise” ceasefire efforts.

His warning caused nary a flicker of concern; US “efforts” have so far only supported the starvation blockade and have encouraged “israel” to ever-more genocide adventurism.

Republican House speaker Mike Johnson threatened the ICC with sanctions.

Independent senator Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish, supported the ICC decision: “The ICC prosecutor is right to take these actions,” Sanders said in a statement, adding it is “imperative that the global community uphold international law.”

CNN reports several senior senate Democrats pointedly refused to take a position, underscoring the growing rift within the party over Israel’s handling of the war.

Debbie Stabenow of Michigan said: “I would say that I’m not supportive of Netanyahu or Hamas, and I think we’d be able to move forward a lot better if both were to go.”

Donald Trump has said nothing about the arrest warrants so far.

But a three-man “fact-finding” team visited “israel” yesterday and held talks with Netanyahu and other officials. They said the primary goal of the trip was to gain a better understanding of “Israel’s” domestic political situation.

It’s not clear if they met before of after the ICC announced its decision late yesterday afternoon.

President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the warrants against both Hamas and “israel”, saying: “The law must be applied equally to all in order to uphold the international rule of law, ensure accountability for those that commit heinous crimes and protect the rights of victims.”

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South Africa is committed to the international rule of law, universal respect for human rights and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiation and not war, and the self-determination of all peoples, including the Palestinians,” says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“This commitment together with the paralysis experienced in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), preventing it from exercising its peace and security mandate with respect to the conflict in Gaza, resulted in South Africa in approaching the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), on the basis of the Genocide Convention, with a view to restrain Israeli action and protect Palestinian civilians and non-combatants.

“South Africa recalls that the widespread deprivation of food and other basic necessities and the blocking of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza resulted in unprecedented levels of food insecurity and formed the basis for its request to the Court to order additional provisional measures against Israel.

“We have also consistently held that all participants to the conflict must ensure that fighting and hostilities come to an immediate end, that all hostages must be released immediately, and that Israel immediately withdraws its military forces from Gaza. This is the only way in which the rights of the Palestinian civilian population can be protected and the basis for sustainable peace can be achieved,”