Netanyahu accuses ICC of anti-Semitism
Israel's prime minister lashed out at the International Criminal Court after it ruled that its jurisdiction includes the West Bank and Gaza Strip, pointing out that the court was created in part to protect the Jewish people.
On Feb. 5, the International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled that its jurisdiction extends to "the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.’" Thus, the court opened the door for Palestinians to submit complaints over war crimes allegedly committed by Israel and prosecutors could now investigate alleged war crimes during the 2014 Gaza war and the construction by Israel of West Bank Jewish settlements.
The ICC ruling stirred much anger in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the court of prejudice, tweeting, "When the ICC investigates Israel for fake war crimes — this is pure anti-Semitism. The court established to prevent atrocities like the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish people is now targeting the one state of the Jewish people." He went on, "First, the ICC outrageously claims that when Jews live in our homeland, this is a war crime. Second, it claims that when democratic Israel defends itself against terrorists who murder our children and rocket [sic] our cities — we are committing another war crime," and added, "Yet the ICC refuses to investigate brutal dictatorships like Iran and Syria, who commit horrific atrocities almost daily."
Other Israeli politicians followed suit. Yamina leader Naftali Bennett called the ICC a sham. The former defense minister, who also served as a commander in an elite IDF units, tweeted, “As defense minister, I ensured that nobody would tie the hands of our soldiers who risk their lives to protect us. … If it’s true that the ICC is making a list of so-called Israeli suspects, I ask that my name be put on the top."
Israel’s Foreign Ministry tweeted, “The judges’ decision rewards Palestinian terrorism, as well as the refusal of the Palestinian Authority to return to direct negotiations with Israel, and will further polarize both sides." In a follow-up post it wrote, "We call upon all nations that value the international legal system, and object to its political exploitation, to respect the sovereign rights of states not to be subjected to the Court’s jurisdiction."
