The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) says world leaders pressured him not to apply for arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and defense minister on allegations of war crimes in Gaza, the BBC reported on 5 September.

Karim Khan told the BBC, “Several leaders and others told me and advised me and cautioned me,” he said.

Khan explained the ICC needed to request warrants for leaders on both sides of the conflict so that the court is viewed as applying “the law equally based upon some common standards.” “If one had applied for warrants in relation to Israeli officials and not for Gaza, [some would] say: ‘Well, this is an obscenity’ and, ‘How on earth is that possible?’” he said.

Though several months have passed since Khan’s application, ICC judges have not issued any arrest warrants.

  • rammer@sopuli.xyz
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    11 days ago

    International Criminal Court needs member states to enforce its decisions. So far it has been applied mainly to third world countries. But now that it is being applied to the richer countries, as it should, support is wavering.

    We are quite far from a just world. But we are ever so slowly getting there.

    • sik0fewl@lemmy.ca
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      11 days ago

      The most powerful country on earth is facilitating this genocide, so clearly a huge shift is needed in order to hold western nations to the same standard as everyone else.

      • filister@lemmy.world
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        10 days ago

        The most powerful country is not even a member of the ICC, guess why. At the same time, they applauded their decision when they issued the arrest warrant for Putin.

        Now they are threatening to apply sanctions on the main prosecutor and some judges in case they issue arrest warrants for Bibi & Gallant.

        This is how wicked and hypocritical our world is.

        Justice for thee but not for me.