Gilles Emmanuel Jacquet, Vice President of the Geneva International Peace Research Institute (GIPRI), emphasized that the inability of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to execute arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would severely damage the credibility of the ICC and the broader international justice system.
In a written statement to Anadolu, Jacquet responded to the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
Jacquet noted that the ICC’s decision aligns with the “original indictments” and that the charges against the two Israeli officials are backed by substantial evidence.
Highlighting Western nations’ previous support for the ICC’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Jacquet remarked: “It remains to be seen whether these countries are consistent with their vision of the rule of law and whether they will arrest Netanyahu or Gallant if they have the opportunity to do so. This will be a critical test for international criminal law, and we can doubt that Western countries that are parties to the Rome Statute, such as France, will implement this decision. If the ICC’s decision is not implemented, it will be a serious violation and will undermine the credibility of the ICC and international justice.”
Jacquet added that while the ICC’s decision may not halt Israel’s actions in Gaza or stop what he referred to as genocide, it will likely tarnish Israel’s international standing and could intensify internal opposition to Netanyahu’s leadership within Israel.
Israel launched a full-scale genocidal war on Gaza following an October attack by Hamas, resulting in the deaths of nearly 44,300 people—most of them women and children—and injuring over 104,700 others.
The second year of genocide in Gaza, has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community. Officials and organizations have characterized the attacks and the blockade of aid deliveries as deliberate efforts to annihilate a population.
In addition, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice due to its actions in Gaza.