International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials

We have charged 4 Russia affiliated military personnel with war crimes. It certainly is *** war crime. He is *** war criminal. In times of conflict, politicians and activists label certain acts or attacks as war crimes. But what exactly does that mean? And what are the repercussions? Let's take *** look at why war crimes are hard to prosecute and how history plays *** role. War crimes are violations of international humanitarian law during times of armed conflict. The most current definition was established by the Rome Statute of 1998. Some examples include intentionally attacking civilians, cruel treatment and torture, murder, rape, and attacking buildings dedicated to historic monuments or hospitals. Domestic courts are typically responsible for prosecuting war crimes. However, if the country is unable to prosecute, for example, if the regime that caused the crimes is still in power, other institutions can step in. Other options include international, mixed, and hybrid tribunals and the International Criminal Court, known as the ICC. Based in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICC operates as *** permanent independent court, separate from the UN. The court is considered the last resort to prosecute those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. It's comprised of 18 judges, each from *** different member country and elected by member states. In total, there's around 120 member states. Since its formation in 2002, the court has been able to convict individuals of war crimes, including Thomas Lubega. The former leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots for charges of enlisting children into his group and using them to participate in hostilities. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison. While the ICC has its share of successes, it also has its share of critiques. One issue is the belief that the court has too little authority, making it inefficient to punish war criminals. The ICC does not have its own police force to track and arrest suspects, and as *** result, they have to rely on the cooperation of national police services to assist. Critics also argue there's an imbalance of which type of countries the ICC prosecutes. We see this in the ICC. Almost all of the prosecutions involve defendants from Africa, from African countries, lesser developed countries that are much more vulnerable. To prosecution. Some African countries have even threatened to leave the ICC because of this. The ICC denies any bias, stating some cases were referred to by the affected countries and others referred to by the UN. Another issue is that not all countries, especially powerful countries, are members. Quite famously, the United States has not subscribed to the International Criminal Court. Again, I think this has *** lot to do with American perceptions of sovereignty. The concept of sovereignty has deep roots in history. In the 1600s, *** philosopher named Jean Bodin developed the modern concept of sovereignty. Bodin's concept of sovereignty really assumed that there was no authority superior to that of the sovereign. The support of the The idea became so widespread, it was just assumed. Leaders would add oblivion clauses in peace treaties that would essentially forgive outrageous crimes committed during the war. And so we see this practice then in Europe up until really World War One. During World War 1, Germany invaded Belgium, killing thousands of civilians. This influenced the allied countries to call for Germany's leader, Kaiser Wilhelm, to be tried for starting *** war. It was an unprecedented move that was met with hot debate. Then US President Woodrow Wilson refused to try Kaiser Wilhelm under criminal charges, but rather political or moral charges. The Americans were of the view that there was no authority. They go back to Bodin here, there was no authority in Germany higher than him, therefore he could not be held legally accountable for what he did. This would change considerably with World War 2. I think it had *** lot to do. With the American experience of carnage and of suffering. And of mass death. In 1944, Germany launched the Battle of the Bulge as its last ditch counterattack in Belgium. German SS troops murdered more than 80 US soldiers and Belgian prisoners. The Americans were simply outraged by this, that really seemed to swing. *** lot of the policymakers who would contribute to the creation of the Nuremberg war crimes trials. The privilege of opening the first trial in history for crimes against the peace of imposes *** grave responsibility. For the first time, high-level officials were being prosecuted for their war crimes. It was *** fairly thorough reckoning. Despite the support of the Nuremberg trials, the allied countries still did not want an international criminal court. The Americans wanted no part of this. The Soviets wanted no part of this, and the British wanted no part of this, the French wanted no part of this. I mean these were colonial powers who didn't want their themselves or their people working for them, their lieutenants to be subjected to uh to *** criminal trial for what they were doing. Historically, the US has had *** complicated relationship with the ICC. What they don't support is the idea of American soldiers. Or American military personnel of any kind, or even, you know, political leaders ever being prosecuted for for their international defenses. This is an assumption. That really runs through every administration uh in American history, whether it's Democratic or Republican. The issue is that the court can only investigate non-member states if the alleged offenses took place in *** member state's territory, if the non-member state accepts the court's jurisdiction, or with the Security Council's authorization. Ultimately, Bryant says the US supporting the ICC would be *** game changer in war crime prosecution. Another possibility is changing the configuration of the UN Security Council, and in particular this the power of the veto. Bryant says powerful countries like Russia have loopholes to avoiding prosecution, even from the UN. As *** permanent member of the Security Council, Russia can veto any effort by the UN to establish an ad hoc tribunal for the prosecution of Russian crimes. So if there's an effort at some point to try to create *** *** Nuremberg style ad hoc tribunal that would prosecute Russian offenders for what they, what they've done in Ukraine, Russia would be in *** position to veto any such, any such effort. If the veto power of Security Council members could be avoided. Then the UN could pursue cases against powerful countries, I think more easily. On the individual level, Wright advises on getting involved with organizations fighting against war crimes. Support human rights initiatives, NGOs that are involved in investigating allegations of genocide, genocide watch for example. And to even move forward with prosecuting can take *** long time, even longer, when the conflict is still ongoing. To have *** trial, you have to have evidence, and to get evidence, you have to be on the ground and you have to be able to secure that evidence. Tough to do when the when the war is still going on. It's dangerous for one thing. So the conflict really has to come to an end with the prosecuting side winning.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over their 13-month war in Gaza and the October 2023 attack on Israel, respectively.Video above: Why are war crimes hard to prosecute?The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to further isolate them and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the fighting. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and two of the Hamas officials were killed in the conflict.Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan바카라 게임 웹사이트�s request for warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel바카라 게임 웹사이트�s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request.The three-judge panel issued a unanimous decision to issue warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.바카라 게임 웹사이트�The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity,바카라 게임 웹사이트� the decision said.The court also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, one of the leaders of Hamas, over the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel바카라 게임 웹사이트�s offensive in Gaza. The ICC chief prosecutor withdrew his request for warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, after they were both killed in the conflict.The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in September that it had submitted two legal briefs challenging the ICC's jurisdiction and arguing that the court did not provide Israel the opportunity to investigate the allegations itself before requesting the warrants.바카라 게임 웹사이트�No other democracy with an independent and respected legal system like that which exists in Israel has been treated in this prejudicial manner by the Prosecutor,바카라 게임 웹사이트� Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote on X. He said Israel remained 바카라 게임 웹사이트�steadfast in its commitment to the rule of law and justice바카라 게임 웹사이트� and would continue to protect its citizens against militancy.Video above: Israel-Hamas war continues to spiral, conflict escalates in the Middle East one year laterThe ICC is a court of last resort that only prosecutes cases when domestic law enforcement authorities cannot or will not investigate. Israel is not a member state of the court. The country has struggled to investigate itself in the past, rights groups say.Despite the warrants, none of the suspects is likely to face judges in The Hague anytime soon. The court itself has no police to enforce warrants, instead relying on cooperation from its member states.Even so, the threat of arrest could make it difficult for Netanyahu and Gallant to travel abroad, although Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted on an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, recently showed he could still visit an ally when he traveled to Mongolia, one of the court바카라 게임 웹사이트�s member states, and was not arrested.Member countries are required to detain suspects if a warrant has been issued if they set foot on their soil, but the court lacks a mechanism to enforce its warrants.Khan sought warrants in May, accusing Netanyahu and Gallant of crimes including murder, intentionally attacking civilians, and persecution.In a statement at the time, Khan alleged that Israel 바카라 게임 웹사이트�has intentionally and systematically deprived the civilian population in all parts of Gaza of objects indispensable to human survival바카라 게임 웹사이트� by closing border crossings into the territory and restricting essential supplies including food and medicine.At the same time, he accused three Hamas leaders 바카라 게임 웹사이트� Sinwar, Deif and Haniyeh 바카라 게임 웹사이트� of crimes linked to the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting another 250. The three leaders are accused of crimes including murder, extermination, taking hostages, rape and torture.바카라 게임 웹사이트�The Chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Deif, born in 1965, the highest commander of the military wing of Hamas (known as the al-Qassam Brigades) at the time of the alleged conduct, is responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; torture; and rape and other form of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture; taking hostages; outrages upon personal dignity; and rape and other forms of sexual violence,바카라 게임 웹사이트� a statement says.Haniyeh was assassinated in what was believed to be an Israeli strike in Iran in July. Israel also claims to have killed Deif, but Hamas hasn바카라 게임 웹사이트�t confirmed his death. Sinwar, who was promoted to succeed Haniyeh as Hamas바카라 게임 웹사이트� leader, was killed in a chance front-line encounter with Israeli troops in October.Human rights groups have applauded the decision, which came more than six months after Khan made his initial request.바카라 게임 웹사이트�The ICC arrest warrants against senior Israeli leaders and a Hamas official break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law," the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement.Israel바카라 게임 웹사이트�s opposition leaders fiercely criticized the ICC바카라 게임 웹사이트�s move. Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, condemned the decision, saying it showed 바카라 게임 웹사이트�moral blindness바카라 게임 웹사이트� and was a 바카라 게임 웹사이트�shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.바카라 게임 웹사이트�Yair Lapid, another opposition leader, called it a 바카라 게임 웹사이트�prize for terror.바카라 게임 웹사이트�Yuval Shany, an international law expert at Jerusalem바카라 게임 웹사이트�s Hebrew University, said travel for Netanyahu and Gallant to member states of the court could be complicated, including to countries that are close allies of Israel, like France or Britain.As members, they are obliged to carry out court decisions, including arrest warrants, although the court has no formal way to enforce its decisions, Shany said 바카라 게임 웹사이트� as Putin바카라 게임 웹사이트�s Mongolia trip showed.The case at the ICC is separate from another legal battle Israel is waging at the top U.N. court, the International Court of Justice, in which South Africa accuses Israel of genocide, an allegation Israeli leaders staunchly deny. Lawyers for Israel argued in court that the war in Gaza was a legitimate defense of its people and that it was Hamas militants who were guilty of genocide.In the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, Israel launched a retaliatory offensive into Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who don바카라 게임 웹사이트�t say how many were fighters. It has displaced 90% of Gaza바카라 게임 웹사이트�s 2.3 million people from their homes and caused heavy destruction across the besieged territory.Hamas is still holding around 100 hostages, about a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel during a cease-fire last November.

THE HAGUE —

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, and crimes against humanity over their 13-month war in Gaza and the October 2023 attack on Israel, respectively.

Video above: Why are war crimes hard to prosecute?

The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the fighting. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and two of the Hamas officials were killed in the conflict.

Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan바카라 게임 웹사이트�s request for warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel바카라 게임 웹사이트�s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request.

The three-judge panel issued a unanimous decision to issue warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

바카라 게임 웹사이트�The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity,바카라 게임 웹사이트� the decision said.

The court also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, one of the leaders of Hamas, over the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel바카라 게임 웹사이트�s offensive in Gaza. The ICC chief prosecutor withdrew his request for warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, after they were both killed in the conflict.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in September that it had submitted two legal briefs challenging the ICC's jurisdiction and arguing that the court did not provide Israel the opportunity to investigate the allegations itself before requesting the warrants.

바카라 게임 웹사이트�No other democracy with an independent and respected legal system like that which exists in Israel has been treated in this prejudicial manner by the Prosecutor,바카라 게임 웹사이트� Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote on X. He said Israel remained 바카라 게임 웹사이트�steadfast in its commitment to the rule of law and justice바카라 게임 웹사이트� and would continue to protect its citizens against militancy.

Video above: Israel-Hamas war continues to spiral, conflict escalates in the Middle East one year later

The ICC is a court of last resort that only prosecutes cases when domestic law enforcement authorities cannot or will not investigate. Israel is not a member state of the court. The country has struggled to investigate itself in the past, rights groups say.

Despite the warrants, none of the suspects is likely to face judges in The Hague anytime soon. The court itself has no police to enforce warrants, instead relying on cooperation from its member states.

Even so, the threat of arrest could make it difficult for Netanyahu and Gallant to travel abroad, although Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted on an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, recently showed he could still visit an ally when he , one of the court바카라 게임 웹사이트�s member states, and was not arrested.

Member countries are required to detain suspects if a warrant has been issued if they set foot on their soil, but the court lacks a mechanism to enforce its warrants.

Khan sought warrants in May, accusing Netanyahu and Gallant of crimes including murder, intentionally attacking civilians, and persecution.

In a statement at the time, Khan alleged that Israel 바카라 게임 웹사이트�has intentionally and systematically deprived the civilian population in all parts of Gaza of objects indispensable to human survival바카라 게임 웹사이트� by closing border crossings into the territory and restricting essential supplies including food and medicine.

At the same time, he accused three Hamas leaders 바카라 게임 웹사이트� Sinwar, Deif and Haniyeh 바카라 게임 웹사이트� of crimes linked to the , when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting another 250. The three leaders are accused of crimes including murder, extermination, taking hostages, rape and torture.

바카라 게임 웹사이트�The Chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Deif, born in 1965, the highest commander of the military wing of Hamas (known as the al-Qassam Brigades) at the time of the alleged conduct, is responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; torture; and rape and other form of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture; taking hostages; outrages upon personal dignity; and rape and other forms of sexual violence,바카라 게임 웹사이트� a statement says.

Haniyeh was assassinated in what was believed to be an in July. Israel also claims to have killed Deif, but Hamas hasn바카라 게임 웹사이트�t confirmed his death. Sinwar, who was promoted to succeed Haniyeh as Hamas바카라 게임 웹사이트� leader, was with Israeli troops in October.

Human rights groups have applauded the decision, which came more than six months after Khan made his initial request.

바카라 게임 웹사이트�The ICC arrest warrants against senior Israeli leaders and a Hamas official break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law," the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement.

Israel바카라 게임 웹사이트�s opposition leaders fiercely criticized the ICC바카라 게임 웹사이트�s move. Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, condemned the decision, saying it showed 바카라 게임 웹사이트�moral blindness바카라 게임 웹사이트� and was a 바카라 게임 웹사이트�shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.바카라 게임 웹사이트�

Yair Lapid, another opposition leader, called it a 바카라 게임 웹사이트�prize for terror.바카라 게임 웹사이트�

Yuval Shany, an international law expert at Jerusalem바카라 게임 웹사이트�s Hebrew University, said travel for Netanyahu and Gallant to member states of the court could be complicated, including to countries that are close allies of Israel, like France or Britain.

As members, they are obliged to carry out court decisions, including arrest warrants, although the court has no formal way to enforce its decisions, Shany said 바카라 게임 웹사이트� as Putin바카라 게임 웹사이트�s Mongolia trip showed.

The case at the ICC is separate from another legal battle Israel is waging at the top U.N. court, the International Court of Justice, in which , an allegation Israeli leaders staunchly deny. Lawyers for Israel argued in court that the war in Gaza was a legitimate defense of its people and that it was Hamas militants who were guilty of genocide.

In the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, Israel launched a retaliatory offensive into Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who don바카라 게임 웹사이트�t say how many were fighters. It has displaced 90% of Gaza바카라 게임 웹사이트�s 2.3 million people from their homes and caused heavy destruction across the besieged territory.

Hamas is still holding around 100 hostages, about a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel during a cease-fire last November.

International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials

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