Alienated, "Israel" grapples with deepening isolation: WP

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Washington Post
24 May 2024 15:08

Netanyahu's ongoing war on the Gaza Strip has provoked global outrage and brought intense scrutiny from two major international courts, underscoring a worldwide shifting political landscape.

Protesters rally during a pro-Palestinian demonstration asking for a cease-fire in Gaza in Washington, on November 17, 2023.(AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration are increasingly finding themselves in a tight spot, according to an analysis by The Washington Post's columnist Ishaan Tharoor.

As per Tharoor's view, Netanyahu is leading a destructive campaign in the Gaza Strip, which has stirred up global public outrage and placed him and his government under scrutiny from two major international courts.

The International Court of Justice is set to announce a verdict on Friday regarding a petition urging "Israel" to halt its military operations in Gaza, including the offensive in Rafah.

Israeli officials have expressed defiance in the face of the ruling, pledging to persist in their efforts. However, the mounting legal pressure is evident as the ICJ reviews a case filed by South Africa, accusing "Israel" of committing genocide.

ICC and arrest warrants haunt Netanyahu

Earlier this week, Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, announced that he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli Minister Yoav Gallant, along with three top leaders of Hamas. Netanyahu and numerous other Israeli officials criticized the move, while President Biden and many US lawmakers condemned it. Other US officials are mobilizing to impose sanctions on the ICC.

The evidence incriminating Netanyahu and Gallant, as outlined in Khan’s statement, focuses on "Israel’s" purported use of starvation as a weapon of war, its obstruction of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and its conduct during the aggression, which has caused widespread and indiscriminate harm to civilians.

"Notwithstanding any military goals they may have, the means Israel chose to achieve them in Gaza — namely, intentionally causing death, starvation, great suffering, and serious injury to the body or health of the civilian population — are criminal,” Khan said.

Should the ICC's pretrial chamber issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the court's 124 member states would be treaty-bound to apprehend the Israelis if they enter their territory. While the United States and Israel have not signed the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding document, many Western powers, including several European countries, are signatories and have expressed support for the ICC's autonomy. When questioned this week about whether his government would comply with an arrest warrant for an Israeli official, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz affirmed, "Yes, we abide by the law."

'The last shoe to drop'

Tharoor gushes: "The last shoe to drop this week was the most expected, and perhaps most ephemeral."

Spain, Ireland, and Norway, along with 140 other United Nations member states, have officially acknowledged a Palestinian state. This gesture follows the massive destruction in Gaza, the unbearable civilian death toll, and a growing sentiment among observers that the only route to peace is the reinstatement of a two-state solution.

“As a country that stands strong in defense of Israel in international forums like the United Nations, we certainly have seen a growing chorus of voices, including voices that had previously been in support of Israel, drift in another direction,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Friday. “That is of concern to us because we do not believe that that contributes to Israel’s long-term security or vitality. … So that’s something we have discussed with the Israeli government.”

The increasing isolation could potentially bolster Netanyahu's position amid challenges, as per Tharoor.