J Street Responds to ICC Prosecutor’s Request for Arrest Warrants

May 20, 2024

International courts and credible enforcement of international law are vital pillars of a stable world order that protects human security and human rights.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) and its individual components will make some decisions with which J Street wholeheartedly agrees, such as seeking warrants for the arrest of the political and military leadership of Hamas, and other decisions that cause us grave discomfort such as seeking arrest warrants for a sitting Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister.

Whatever the merits of the cases, we are disturbed by the equivalency drawn by the prosecutor in simultaneously seeking warrants against leaders of a US-designated terrorist organization and leaders of a democratically-elected government, no matter how much we disagree with those leaders.

In either case, J Street supports the consistent and impartial application of international law, and we urge full US and Israeli cooperation with legal processes now underway. We also urge Israel to demonstrate that its own legal systems are up to the task of holding its officials accountable for their actions – a step that, under ICC rules, would negate the need for the Court’s intervention.

We specifically urge Congressional leaders not to look to score political points by attacking the Court and its legitimate place in the international legal order. Calls to penalize or intimidate ICC officials do not serve the American interest in a stable world order rooted in the rule of law.