Summary
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and during the October 2023 attacks.
The court alleges actions like depriving Gaza civilians of essential resources.
Israel and the U.S., non-members of the ICC, reject the warrants, with Netanyahu calling them antisemitic.
Hamas also criticized the decision.
The practical enforcement of these warrants remains uncertain, as the ICC lacks authority to compel arrests.
These warrants absolutely matter in terms of being a trumo card in several legal issues relating to EU-Israel relations.
It’s a nice thought. I won’t hold my breath expecting any real consequences for Israel, though.
The saddest thing is that if they do take action, it will be the lowest bar possible of accountability. They’ll for example ban products from illegal settlements and then let Israel redurect them anyways.