The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC's three-judge panel (Pre-Trial Chamber-I) made the decision, which has sparked widespread debate in the international arena.
This is an unprecedented step in the 22-year history of ICC. Because this is the first time that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant against a high-ranking leader known to be an ally of the West. The delay after the decision to issue the arrest warrant led many to believe that the United States and Israel had put pressure on the ICC, which may have caused the delay.
For more than a year, Israel and the United States have challenged the ICC's jurisdiction and threatened retaliation against its judges. Among them, several measures including the imposition of sanctions were also discussed. Israel also questioned the impartiality of ICC judges. However, the ICC reached the final decision on November 21.
The ICC three-judge panel that issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Galante are—
Nicolas Guieu (France): He is the president of 'Pre-Trial Chamber-1' and heads the panel under which arrest warrants were issued against Netanyahu and Galante.
Raine Alapini-Gansou (Benin) — Second Vice-President of the ICC and member of 'Pre-Trial Chamber-1'. He is a distinguished international law expert.
Betty Höhler (Slovenia) — She is a member of 'Pre-Trial Chamber-1' and specializes in human rights and international crimes.
ICC judges are nominated by countries that are parties to the Rome Statute. These judges are required to demonstrate high moral character, impartiality and integrity. They must have the best judicial capacity in accordance with international human rights and legal standards. Once elected, they serve for nine years.
Israel rejected the decision, calling it politically motivated. Israeli officials say the ICC has taken a step that could threaten their sovereignty and security.
Meanwhile, the United States also condemned the decision of the ICC, but they accepted it as a legal process.
Human rights organizations around the world have welcomed the ICC's decision, which is seen as an important step in taking a tougher stance against those accused of international crimes. However, Western allies see the move as a political move and fear it could have a long-term impact on the ICC's relationship with their countries.
