In the wake of alarming statements by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which have been perceived as incitement to genocide in Palestine, CODEPINK and its international partners are spearheading a global letter-writing initiative calling for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Since the commencement of Israel’s military offensive after October 7, 2023, Gaza has been subjected to a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity. According to Article 5 of the Rome Statute, the ICC holds jurisdiction in cases where states are “unable” or “unwilling” to prosecute these offenses themselves.
The CODEPINK-led campaign cites a myriad of offenses, including continuous Israeli airstrikes on densely populated civilian areas, the bombing of hospitals, schools, and United Nations buildings, the imposition of a suffocating siege, forced displacement of the population, use of toxic gas, and the denial of basic necessities like food, water, fuel, and electricity.
These actions, as outlined in the letter to ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, are asserted to amount to genocide, incitement to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, in violation of Articles 6, 7, and 8 of the Rome Statute.
The letter also highlights explicit statements made by Israeli officials, reinforcing their alleged intent to commit genocide:
- Isaac Herzog, Israeli President, on October 13, 2023, suggesting civilians in Gaza as legitimate targets.
- Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, on October 27, 2023, citing a biblical reference to justify the slaughter of all women and children in Gaza.
- Yoav Gallant, Israeli Defense Minister, on October 9, 2023, characterizing the situation in Gaza as a fight against “human animals.”
CODEPINK urges concerned individuals and organizations to join this international effort to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes. For more information on the campaign and to support the cause, please contact: Nour Jaghama at nour@codepink.org.
This post was originally published on Common Dreams.