In a speech reproduced on YouTube, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the International Criminal Court (ICC) does not have the authority over his country to arrest him. He also warned of possible arrest warrants for war crimes against Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commanders, should they occur.
“There are many forces that try to stop us from doing this. They were recently joined by another force: the International Criminal Court in The Hague. This court has no authority over the State of Israel. The possibility of issuing arrest warrants for war crimes against IDF commanders and state leaders is a scandal on a historic scale,” Netanyahu said.
Despite intentional refusal, including that of the United States, the prime minister announced the entry of troops into Rafah, alleging the presence of important Hamas battalions in the city, which borders Egypt.
“We will enter Rafah because we have no other option. We will destroy Hamas battalions and achieve all war objectives, including the return of all our abducted people,” he added.
Netanyahu insisted that the Hague court cannot impede Israel’s operations in the city, which is home to some 1.4 million Palestinian refugees.
“This will be the first time that a democratic country, which fights for its life in accordance with all norms of international law, will be accused of war crimes. If this happens, it will be an indelible stain on all humanity,” said Netanyahu.
Despite possible accusations, the prime minister assured that no decision in The Hague or anywhere else will undermine Israel’s war aims.
“I want to make one thing clear: no decision, whether in The Hague or anywhere else, will undermine our determination to achieve all the objectives of the war: the release of all our hostages, a complete victory over Hamas and the promise of that Gaza no longer represents a threat to Israel”, he concluded.
With information from Sputnik
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/05/04/premie-de-israel-desafia-tpi-e-afirma-que-tropas-entrarao-em-rafah/
