The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has responded to accusations made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who alleged anti-Semitism and political bias against Israel.
According to the Hebrew newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth," the response came in a document consisting of questions and answers regarding the court's decision on its jurisdiction to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Israel in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. The ICC stated, "The court is an independent and neutral judicial institution - which is essential to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law."
The ICC further emphasized, "The court operates only within the legal framework and jurisdiction granted by the Rome Statute. The court will continue to carry out its independent work, according to its mandate and the principle of the rule of law." The court clarified in the document that the decision is not related to the status of Palestine as a state, as the court is not authorized to make such determinations, adding, "The ruling pertains only to the territorial authority to conduct the investigation." The court also noted that its decision can be appealed.
It is worth mentioning that the Rome Statute is the source of the ICC's authority, which began operations in 2002 and has been signed by 139 countries. Earlier this February, the ICC acknowledged its jurisdiction over Palestinian territories, paving the way for the investigation into war crimes allegedly committed by the Israeli army there.
In response to the decision at that time, Netanyahu stated, "The court has once again proven that it is a political institution and not a judicial body." He claimed that the decision undermines "the right of democratic states to defend themselves against terrorism," adding, "We will continue to defend our citizens and soldiers by all means from legal prosecution."
Netanyahu also stated in a video posted on his Twitter account: "When the International Criminal Court in The Hague investigates Israel for completely false war crimes, this is pure anti-Semitism." He added, "The court was established to prevent atrocities like the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish people, and it is now attacking the only state of the Jewish people."
Last week, Karim Khan, a 50-year-old British lawyer, was elected as the ICC's next prosecutor for a nine-year term. He will replace the outgoing prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in June, who decided on the court's jurisdiction to open an investigation into Israel for alleged war crimes in Palestinian territories, an investigation that concerns Israel and could lead to arrest warrants against senior military and political officials.
