TEL AVIV: Tensions are running high in Israel as fears heighten that the International Criminal Court (ICC) could issue arrest warrants for its top political figures over humanitarian crimes committed during the conflict in Gaza.
Reports suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Israeli military Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi are among the officials who may be served with arrest warrants as early as this week, marking a significant diplomatic blow to Israel.
The imminent ICC action has prompted frantic efforts by Israel and its allies to delay the move, recognizing the severe implications it would have for the country. The primary allegation revolves around accusations that Israel deliberately withheld essential resources, resulting in the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
For months, Israel has faced mounting accusations of deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza and obstructing humanitarian aid from reaching the region, which is grappling with a dire shortage of food and medicine. Concerns also extend to alleged human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank and Israeli detention facilities.
In response to the looming ICC action, Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the accusations as “twisted” and reiterated Israel’s commitment to upholding the laws of war. Despite Israel’s non-recognition of the ICC’s authority, the potential issuance of arrest warrants would oblige the 124 countries that are signatories to the court to detain Israeli officials if they entered their territories.
Notably, major allies such as the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany recognize the court’s authority, while the United States, Israel’s most crucial ally, does not.
Amidst these developments, concerns mount over Israel’s potential military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, with many international entities warning of a catastrophic humanitarian disaster.
