Pro Palestine SA Welcomes International Court’s Arrest Warrants for Israel’s Netanyahu, Hamas Leader

• South Africa welcomed the International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuing of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
• Netanyahu has been implicated alongside his former Defence Minister Yoav Galant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif for war crimes
• SA's Justice and Constitutional Development Department slammed Netanyahu's actions as breaching international humanitarian law

TSHWANE — South Africa has expressed its position on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant issued on Thursday, 21 November 2024, for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yoav Galant, Israel's ex-Defence Minister — fired 16 days earlier — and Hamas battle chief Mohammed Deif are also sought after their implication in war crimes and crimes against humanity between 8 October 2023 and 20 May 2024.

SA welcomes ICC's Netanyahu arrest warrant

However, Israel maintains Deif has been dead since 13 July after being killed in an Israeli air raid in southern Gaza.

Despite this, in issuing the warrant, judges said the ICC couldn't determine if he had been killed. They argued reasonable grounds existed to believe all three men were criminally responsible for crimes during the Israel-Hamas war.

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The armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel began when, on 7 October 2023, Hamas-led militant groups launched a surprise attack on Israel.

It is the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict since 2008 and the deadliest for Palestinians in the history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

South Africa welcomed the ICC's arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Galant and Deif, saying it significantly affirmed the country's unwavering support for Palestine.

Netanyahu's arrest warrant meant that SA authorities, as among the court's 124 national members, could arrest him should he set foot in the country. Despite the ICC's order for a ceasefire, Israel has continued its military offensive in Gaza.

Justice and Constitutional Development Department spokesperson Tsekiso Machike said the move was pivotal towards addressing severe Israeli violations, which included the intentional targeting of civilians.

The UN Human Rights Council has identified what it deemed evidence of war crimes by both Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces since the start of the Israel–Hamas war.

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On 29 December 2023, SA filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after alleging that Israel's conduct had genocidal characteristics.

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan announced on 20 May seeking arrest warrants against leaders of both sides, namely Hamas' Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Deif, and Israel's Netanyahu and Gallant.

Israel has since killed Haniyeh and Sinwar, and the ICC withdrew their warrant applications.

"Their actions constitute serious breaches of international humanitarian law after obstructing humanitarian aid and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis," said Machike.

Meanwhile, Palestinian ambassador Ammar Hijazi said Palestine also welcomed the development.

Despite the ICC's order for a ceasefire, Israel has continued its military offensive in Gaza. Thus, Netanyahu's warrant meant that any of the court's 124 national members, including SA, could arrest him if he set foot in their territories.

Netanyahu responded to the ICC's decision in a video statement on X, which he captioned:

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"The antisemitic decision of the international court in The Hague is a modern Dreyfuss trial, and it will end the same way."

Ukraine's spirit shines through SA

In related news, Briefly News reported that Ukraine on 19 November marked 1,000 days of resistance against full-scale rocket, drone and artillery strikes amid ongoing attacks.

Schools, hospitals, churches, kindergartens, museums, and other essential infrastructure have borne the brunt of enemy fire.

Source: Briefly News