The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) recent arrest warrants for Israeli leaders mark a pivotal shift in addressing Israel’s genocidal actions against Palestinians, opening a “new era” of accountability, says Palestinian human rights lawyer Raji Sourani.
The ICC’s move against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who are now wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity, is a “landmark” decision that signals the end of decades-long impunity for Israel, Sourani, founder of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, told Anadolu.
“We are heading to a new era where Israel will be very aware about any consequences in the future,” he said.
“We are still seeing the genocide, the massive killing, the massive displacement, the massive starvation, and the blockade on Gaza … but definitely, whether Israel likes it or not, this will work like a snowball, and no power on earth will stop it.”
Israel will “be held accountable, not morally, but legally,” he asserted.
“Court decisions don’t end colonialism and racism, don’t end genocide, but they are the basis for that,” Sourani said.
He called for concrete actions from states to pressure Israel, such as halting arms shipments, ceasing economic support, ending facilitation, and stopping trade.
He reminded the international community of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling that Israel’s continued presence in occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and must end “as rapidly as possible.”
“I hope the international community wakes up and helps the Palestinians in doing that,” said Sourani, who has spent years compiling cases about Israel’s blockade on Gaza, submitting dozens of cases to the ICC since 2015 when the Palestinian Authority ratified the Rome Statute.
“How many lives should we lose? How much should the Palestinian people suffer till we manage to achieve such a decision? It’s good, but it’s very late, and we paid dearly and heavily. If there was accountability on time, the genocide could not have happened by Israel.”
– ‘HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE SNOWBALL’
Sourani underscored the need for broader accountability, urging the ICC to investigate and charge additional Israeli officials, including top military commanders and representatives from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
“I hope this is the beginning of the snowball, and the two arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant are not the end, but the start of more to come,” he said.
“Otherwise, Gaza will be the graveyard of international law.”
Sourani strongly criticized the US for its unwavering support of Israel despite its war crimes in Gaza, calling it a “big shame.”
While many countries have supported a cease-fire, the US veto has paralyzed international efforts to end the genocide, he noted.
“This makes the international political system paralyzed and ineffective,” said Sourani.
This is a major problem in international institutions, particularly the UN, that must be corrected in the foreseeable future, he added, warning that failure would lead to “a real call for the rule of the jungle, not the rule of law, which is not in the interest of anybody.”
Sourani also took issue with remarks by France, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, suggesting Netanyahu has immunity because Israel is not a party to the ICC-a claim swiftly refuted by legal experts.
“I think this is a very big shame … This is total disrespect for the court,” he said.
Sourani pointed to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s statement that the ICC decision is legally binding and not a political act, and expressed hope that this legal clarity would pave the way for stronger action against Israel and its leaders.