There has been widespread reaction to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged “war crimes”, with several countries, including France and South Africa, welcoming the court’s move.
The ICC said it had found “reasonable grounds” to believe that the two Israeli officials were responsible for starvation in Gaza, as they “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival”. The court also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif for alleged “crimes against humanity and war crimes”. Netanyahu on Thursday (Nov. 21) immediately condemned the ICC’s decision, calling it “a black day in the history of nations.” The Israeli PM was defiant, wowing to continue his country’s military campaign, which has been repeatedly denounced by UN agencies and rights groups for allegedly violating war rules.
The ICC’s decision turns both Israeli leaders into internationally wanted suspects, marking the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice. Although the United States have slammed the warrants, the court’s decision could further isolate both Netanyahu and Gallant, putting them at risk of arrest when they travel abroad. Several countries, including France and South Africa, welcomed the court’s decision and signaled they might arrest Netanyahu if he visited. In January 2024, South Africa took Israel and its PM to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to compel it to halt ‘genocidal’ aggression in Gaza. The country’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) hailed the arrest warrant for Netanyahu as “a significant step towards justice”.