The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court urges all countries to cooperate regarding arrest warrants against Zionist officials.

The Hague – The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, urged member and non-member states of the Court on Thursday to cooperate regarding the arrest warrants issued against the so-called “Prime Minister” of the Zionist entity, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former “Minister” of Defense, Yoav Gallant.

Khan stated in a press release, “On May 20, 2024, my office submitted requests for arrest warrants before the Pre-Trial Chamber concerning the situation in the State of Palestine, and today, based on the evidence provided by my office, the judges confirmed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that crimes as defined in the Rome Statute have been committed.”

He pointed out that the judges found reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant committed the war crime of using starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, each as a direct perpetrator and in conjunction with others. The Chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that each of them is responsible for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against civilians.

Khan reiterated that “the law is for everyone, and its role is to defend the rights of all individuals,” noting that “the decision of the independent judges of the International Criminal Court underscores the necessity of respecting international humanitarian law in all circumstances through fair and neutral judicial processes.”

He said, “As I emphasized in May, these requests were submitted following an independent investigation, based on verifiable objective evidence that has been examined through a judicial process.”

He added, “I call on all state parties to fulfill their obligations under the Rome Statute by respecting and complying with these judicial orders. We rely on their cooperation in this case, as in all other cases under the Court’s jurisdiction.”

“We also welcome cooperation with non-state parties in working towards accountability and supporting international law.”

The Prosecutor confirmed that his office continues to “pursue its independent and neutral investigations into the situation in the State of Palestine with a focus on that.”

Khan stated, “We are moving forward with additional lines of investigation in areas under the Court’s jurisdiction, which include Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”

He added, “I am deeply concerned about reports of escalating violence, increasing restrictions on humanitarian access, and the ongoing expansion of allegations of international crimes in Gaza and the West Bank. We will continue to carry out our mandate to fulfill the core commitment that forms the basis of the Rome Statute: that the lives of all human beings have equal value.”

APS