Published November 26,2024
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The US on Monday defended its differing stances on the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Russian and Israeli officers, asserting that the 2 instances are essentially distinct.
“I don’t think there is any equivalence between the case that the ICC has brought against Russia and the case that it has brought against Israel,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller instructed reporters when requested in regards to the distinction within the US strategy to the ICC’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
He highlighted vital variations between the 2 nations, saying that “Russia is not a democracy, does not have a functioning, independent legal system, and is not investigating violations of international humanitarian law by its soldiers. Israel, on the other hand, is a democracy with an independent court system that has hundreds of open cases into allegations against its soldiers. It is important that these processes be allowed to proceed.”
Israeli authorities have been investigating a number of reported warfare crimes stemming from the Israeli military’s lethal offensive in Gaza since final October, however tangible outcomes stay uncommon.
The US has not too long ago urged Israel to conclude its investigation into the killing of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi throughout a peaceable protest within the West Bank, an inquiry that has been ongoing for over two months with no accountability.
Additionally, an investigation into the killing of six-year-old Palestinian lady Hind Rajab in Gaza has not resulted in accountability after almost 10 months.
Last 12 months, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed help for the ICC’s arrest warrant in opposition to Putin, urging member states to adjust to their obligations underneath the court docket. However, Washington opposes ICC warrants focusing on Israeli leaders, saying the court docket doesn’t have jurisdiction over the matter as a result of Israel will not be a member of the court docket.
When pressed on the truth that neither Russia nor Israel is a member of the ICC, Miller pointed to jurisdictional variations.
“Ukraine is a sovereign state that has granted its jurisdiction to another country to intervene for them, which sovereign states can do. There is no sovereign state of Palestine,” he stated, reiterating US help for a two-state answer whereas defending the ICC’s lack of jurisdiction over Israel.
-‘Every nation has to make their choice’
Miller, nonetheless, didn’t name on nations to reject the ICC’s arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, including: “Every country has to make that decision for themselves.”
Republican US Sen. Lindsey Graham threatened to sanction US allies in the event that they implement ICC arrest warrants on Israeli leaders.
Asked about attainable steps, Miller stated the US will seek the advice of with its allies and companions to resolve on easy methods to transfer ahead.
Source: www.anews.com.tr