T. Belman. Friedman said in his NYT piece that Biden is “questioning why the US should defend Israel in international forums like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.” This the first sign that the Biden admin is looking for ways to punish Israel.
The only reason the ICC has potential jurisdiction to indict Israel for war crimes, is because it ruled that Palestine was a state contrary to reality. The US did nothing to reverse that ruling. And now the US probably instigated the EU Parliament to make such a statement. Not that the EU parliament needed any prodding.
Ukraine has started shelling civilians in the Donbass again. That is clearly a war crime but if you are waiting for the ICC to prosecute, don’t hold your breath.
European Union Parliament adopts statement in support of International Criminal Court’s probe into possible war crimes by Israel.
By Elad Benari, INN 14.7.23
The European Union (EU) Parliament on Thursday adopted a statement in support of an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague into possible war crimes by Israel in Judea and Samaria, according to Haaretz.
The statement expressed the EU’s support for the ICC’s investigation into “war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
The EU Parliament offered its assistance to advance the investigations as needed, and expressed support for the ICC’s independence, describing the body as objective and neutral.
The original statement also expressed support for the International Criminal Court; however, this section was deleted due to pressure from pro-Israel members of the Parliament, according to Haaretz.
Instead, the statement passed said that the European Parliament “takes note” of the other investigations, and in response, expresses “concern about the Israeli Government’s decision to impose punitive measures against the Palestinian people, leadership and civil society, such as withholding funds and implementing a moratorium on construction plans in Area C, in response to the request by the General Assembly for an advisory opinion from the ICJ; support the efforts to end impunity for crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
The ICC’s former chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, announced in late 2019 that she intends to open a full investigation into alleged Israeli “war crimes”, but before opening a full probe, asked the ICC to rule on the territory over which it has jurisdiction because of the “unique and highly contested legal and factual issues attaching to this situation.”
She subsequently ruled that “Palestine” is a state and the ICC has jurisdiction involving its cases. Bensouda was succeeded as ICC chief prosecutor by British lawyer Karim Khan, who was sworn in to the role in June of 2021.
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Khan’s election as Bensouda’s successor in February of 2021 came exactly one week after the ICC ruled that Judea, Samaria, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem are within its jurisdiction, paving the way for a probe.
Khan has yet to taken any public action on the probe, but in December he said that he has a “goal” to make “a visit to Palestine” in 2023.
There is no Palestine, period. There is only a Palestinian Authority, which is far from being a state. Besides this attempt to create facts where none exist, the EU seems to care little for the bombing and terrorist murders carried on against innocent Israeli civilians for years. They seem upset because more Israelis didn’t die from all the mortars, missiles and bombs, but it is mainly because we all have shelters which we have to run to after a missile is fired at us. I just want to know why we keep selling natural gas to the EU when they have nothing but hatred toward israel.
One major problem with this is that Israel, to the best of my knowledge, is not a member of the ICC, and therefore the ICC has no jurisdiction.
Further, the Geneva Convention has guidelines that would govern the conduct of the Palis, Hamas, PLO, PLA, Hezbollah if they would be applied. But since those aforementioned entities don’t subscribe to the Geneva conventions they do as they please. Israel must act (somewhat) morally but remember that international law is not a suicide pact.
“Put not your trust in princes, in mere mortals”. Follow G-d/Hashem. He will guide you to the right path.