ICC Chief Prosecutor's Calculated Attempt to 'Demonize' Israel: Netanyahu

## Sapo

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced strong opposition to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) request for arrest warrants against himself, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and top Hamas leaders. Netanyahu accuses ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan of pursuing a politically motivated agenda to discredit the Jewish state.

## Article

Amidst the ongoing saga between Israel and the International Criminal Court (ICC), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently condemned the court's actions, alleging a malicious intent to "demonize" Israel. This staunch opposition stems from the ICC's recent request for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas leaders in connection with alleged war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip.

Experts have raised concerns about the ICC's efficacy, given its modest track record of successful prosecutions and its substantial budget allocation. With less than 10 convictions in its two decades of operation, the court has spent over $2 billion, prompting questions about its cost-effectiveness.

The ICC's significant budget is primarily funded by member states, with the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Brazil contributing the lion's share. Each state's contribution is proportional to its economic size, resulting in an annual budget of around $183.5 million for 2023.

The United States, notably, is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and has maintained a critical stance towards the court. Former President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on ICC officials in 2020, freezing their assets and banning their family members from entering the U.S., in response to the court's investigations into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.

The Biden administration has taken a different approach, offering cooperation and intelligence to the ICC in its investigation into Russian war crimes in Ukraine. However, it has explicitly rejected the court's jurisdiction over U.S. citizens.

Amid the controversy surrounding the arrest warrant requests for Israeli officials, some critics have urged the Biden administration to invoke the American Servicemembers Protection Act and sanction the ICC. Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, has called for immediate action to protect Israel and Americans from the ICC's "power grab."

Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction. Prime Minister Netanyahu has denounced the court as politically biased and has vowed to resist any attempts to apprehend Israeli officials.

The ICC has 124 signatories, primarily consisting of African, European, and South American nations. Notably, significant countries such as China, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea, and Turkey are not parties to the Rome Statute.

The United States has historically expressed concerns about the ICC's potential to prosecute U.S. citizens or allies. President Clinton signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but demanded assurances that the court would address U.S. concerns before proceeding with ratification. The Bush administration later withdrew the U.S. signature and instead enacted the American Servicemembers Protection Act.

This law empowers the President to take action to secure the release of U.S. or allied citizens detained or imprisoned by the ICC. It also prohibits U.S. support for the court, including cooperation, extradition assistance, and appropriated fund allocation.