ICC arrest warrants for Israel and Hamas spark international outcry

The request by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas in connection with the war in the Middle East has stirred a lot of emotions. Tel Aviv, the Palestinian side, and representatives of the Western world have spoken out on the matter.

On Monday, 20 May, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan in the Hague filed for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and three leaders of the Palestinian terror organisation Hamas in connection with the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

The evidence we have gathered confirms that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are responsible for crimes committed in Palestine. These crimes include, among others, depriving civilians of access to food and deliberately shelling places where they were staying, said ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan.

This also includes, among other things, cutting off access to water, power supplies, and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

This decision by the International Criminal Court in the Hague has caused a significant stir. Leaders from all over the world have spoken out.

According to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, "any attempt to compare these atrocious terrorists (Hamas - editor's note) with the democratically elected government of Israel - striving to fulfil its duty of defending and protecting its citizens in full respect of the principles of international law - is outrageous and cannot be accepted by anyone."

The ICC Prosecutor's request for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is scandalous, announced Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Monday, 20 May. "I will convene a special group to fight this decision," he added.

The Palestinian side also spoke out, stating that it "strongly condemns the ICC Prosecutor's attempts to equate the victim with the perpetrator".

Hamas demands the annulment of all arrest warrants issued against the leaders of the Palestinian resistance movement for violating conventions and UN resolutions, the organisation said in its official statement.

According to Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri, the decision by the International Criminal Court "only encourages Israel to continue its war of extermination in Gaza".

A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also addressed the issue. The spokesperson emphasised that "the prosecutor's actions are not helpful in stopping the fighting, releasing hostages, or delivering humanitarian aid".

In contrast, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said, "We fully respect the ICC's independence, but the fact that the leaders of the terrorist organisation Hamas, whose declared aim is the annihilation of the state of Israel, are mentioned in the same breath as the democratically elected representatives of that very state, is not understandable".

There is no reason for the court to investigate Israel because it is not a party to the Rome Statute, and Israel has a fully functioning judiciary, stated Republican Senator Jim Risch of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Joe Biden also criticised the ICC's decision. "The ICC Prosecutor's request for arrest warrants for Israeli leaders is outrageous," said the American president.