ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant spark celebrations online and calls for action
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday, sparking widespread reactions on social media.
The 124 state parties to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, are now under an obligation to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant.
In this case, Netanyahu and Gallant will likely restrict their travel so as not to be detained - something Russia's Vladimir Putin has done since being indicted by the ICC in March last year.
Many of the states that will be compelled to hand over Netanyahu and Gallant are allies of Israel, including the UK, France, Germany, and Hungary.
People who have been condemning Israel’s devastating war on Gaza for the past year celebrated the decision. An outspoken critic of the war, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, said the decision shows that “fighting by war crimes, starvation and deprivation, is not allowed”.
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Netanyahu's fake defense: This is not about Israel continuing "to defend its citizens by fighting in Gaza." It is about HOW the war is fought. Fighting by war crimes -- starvation and deprivation -- is not allowed, as the ICC has just made clear. https://t.co/B6wqTnZSoL
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) November 21, 2024
While some said the arrest warrants were a step in the right direction for Palestinian liberation, others said they were too late. The ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced on 20 May that the prosecutor's office had filed an application for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
The decision to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant carries significant legal and political weight, and Khan’s request was part of a war crimes investigation on the situation in Palestine, launched in 2021 by his predecessor. Though Israel is not a member of the ICC, the State of Palestine was granted membership in 2015.
Accordingly, the court can investigate Israeli individuals for crimes committed in occupied Palestine, which includes the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Others have called for swift action from the international community to fulfil the ICC’s warrants and said there should be consequences for the constant dehumanisation of people in front of the eyes of the entire world.
One person created a list of countries that “said they will honour and/or welcome the ICC warrants issued for Israeli officials Netanyahu and Gallant”.
A thread of states that have said they will honour and/or welcome the ICC warrants issued for Israeli officials Netanyahu and Gallant.
— Naks Bilal (@NaksBilal) November 21, 2024
This highlights Israel’s growing isolation as they won’t be able to enter these countries on pain of arrest.
Netherlands 🇳🇱
🧵 https://t.co/eczYqgDvMw
Some social media users wondered what legal repercussions the arrest warrants would have for the US, Israel's biggest backer, with many people accusing the US administration of arming Israel, supporting its assault on the Gaza Strip, and vetoing Israel-related UN Security Council decisions.
An educator and activist from the US highlighted that the country continues to sell arms to Israel, even though it means breaking US laws.
Yesterday, all but 19 U.S. Senators voted to continue to break U.S. law to continue to arm Israel.
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) November 21, 2024
Today, the ICC has officially issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
History will show this is a genocide and many people are complicit. https://t.co/QZOIWcjt5T
Some online have criticised the warrants for not including the complicity of the US in Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Writer and commentator Jeer Heet joked: “Singling out Israel like this is wrong”.
It's grossly unfair, maybe even bigoted, to single out Israel like this. Warrant should also be out for Biden. https://t.co/mD27a7FMxJ
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) November 21, 2024
One person implied that the international order is hypocritical because many leaders, specifically western allies of the US and Israel, supported the ICC arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the world applies double standards to Israel.
Many pointed out that the US rejected the ICC’s arrest warrant decision for Netanyahu and Gallant, even though South Africa last month filed 750 pages of evidence to the International Court of Justice, outlining evidence pertaining to Israel’s alleged violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention in its ongoing war on Gaza.
ICC issues arrest warrant for Putin
— Black in the Empire (@blackintheempir) November 21, 2024
The US Govt - "Int'l law must be respected, and Putin must be punished"
ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant
The US Gov't - "F^ck Int'l law, the ICC must be punished https://t.co/xJa1orO6fM
Meanwhile, right groups have said that in light of the ICC's arrest warrants, US officials could now be personally liable under international law by continuing to provide Israel with military assistance.
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