Excited reactions in the Israeli political system to the tribunal's decision to investigate war crimes in Judea and Samaria • Gaza Prime Minister Netanyahu also attacks: "Hypocritical and antisemitic decision"
"The decision of the Hague Tribunal to open an investigation against the State of Israel is scandalous," President Reuven Rivlin responded today (Wednesday) to the statement of International Court of Justice prosecutor Pato Bensuda.
"We will not accept the claims against the exercise of our right and duty, to protect our citizens."
The President added: "The State of Israel is a strong, Jewish and democratic state that knows how to defend itself and also interrogate itself if necessary. We are proud of our soldiers, sons and daughters, the flesh and blood of our country, who stand guard over their country as a wall against our adversaries. We will be vigilant to ensure that they are not harmed as a result of the decision. "
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an official response to the Hague tribunal's decision.
"Israel is under attack today," he said.
"The biased court in The Hague today made a hypocritical and antisemitic decision. The court does not say a word against Iran and Syria that are committing real war crimes. We will fight for the truth until we overturn that decision."
"The decision of the court in The Hague - disgusting"
New Hope Party chairman Gideon Saar tweeted in response to the tribunal's decision: "The decision of the International Criminal Court in The Hague is a despicable decision.
A decision to investigate the world's most moral army in the world's most threatened country is a moral distortion.
A government headed by me will work with our allies around the world, led by the United States, to "protect the IDF, its commanders and fighters and prevent the politicization of international law."
The decision of the International Criminal Court in The Hague is a despicable decision.
A decision to investigate the world's most moral army of the most threatened country in the world is a moral distortion.
A government led by me will work with our allies around the world, especially the United States, to protect the IDF, its commanders and fighters and prevent the politicization of international law.
- Gideon Sa'ar |
Gideon Sear (@gidonsaar) March 3, 2021
Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz also referred to the statement in the foundation: "The settlements and the right are dragging Israel to The Hague.
Continued construction in the settlements and threats of annexation complicate Israel and make it a defendant in war crimes.
Israel needs a government that will stop construction in the settlements and restart a peace process with the Palestinians.
"Without promoting a peace process, heads of state may be exposed to legal proceedings, and in particular they will harm the main Israeli interest: resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the vision of the two states."
The right-wing party also commented on the opening of the investigation: "The court in The Hague is an antisemitic body immersed in hatred of Israel that encourages terrorism instead of fighting it. And Israeli murderers as human beings, the court decides to investigate Israel instead of the child killers and suicide bombers. The IDF is the moral army in the world and will continue to be so.
No Pike investigation will prevent the State of Israel from protecting its citizens. "
Earlier today, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Pato Bensuda, officially announced the opening of an investigation into war crimes in Judea and Samaria and Gaza.
It will be clarified that the investigation will also apply to the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
"The investigation will cover crimes within the tribunal's jurisdiction, which have allegedly been committed since June 13, 2014," Bensuda clarified in her statement today.
"The way the ministry will set priorities for the investigation will be determined later, given the operational challenges we face due to the corona plague, the limited resources available to us and the heavy workload we face today. Which the Treaty of Rome imposes on us. "
Following a statement in the foundation, the Palestinian Authority issued an official statement on the decision: "Welcome to the announcement by the Hague Tribunal to open an investigation."
A senior Palestinian official in the office of Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen in Ramallah told Israel Today: "We are confident in the justice of our struggle. Those who should be feared now are all senior members of the Israeli military and defense establishment who have committed and are committing daily crimes against the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, the IDF began preparing for an investigation a few months ago, and for this purpose a special projector was appointed - Major General Itai Yarov, who serves as commander of the military colleges, and in addition to his role, is also responsible for the IDF's operational interrogation and legitimacy.
Under Maj. Gen. and Yarov, a team has been set up headed by a jurist who specializes in international law, which is to be prepared to deal with the court's decision.
The IDF already has contingency plans regarding the tribunal's decision, but the army prefers not to be at the forefront of dealing with the decision.
Following the decision of the tribunal, at the political level, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IDF began to study the decision and examine various options for response.