Indeed Absurd

Soon after the International Criminal Court confirmed its jurisdiction, it announced  on March 3, 2021 the opening of a formal investigation into crimes committed in the Palestinian territories, after 2014.  While the Palestinians along with other human rights organizations,  applauded the decision,  the Israeli PM, Mr. Netanyahu, commented that it was absurd,  which inspired me with the title of this reflection.  Indeed absurd, but   not the investigation.   What is really absurd is the fact that Israel considers itself the only democracy in the region and  refuses to be accountable to anybody despite  its long history of violations of the Palestinian human rights.   In fact it should be grateful that the investigation will only cover the period as far back as 2014, because Israel’s   history of violations of human rights goes back to the early days of the  establishment of the state, not withstanding the “terrorist attacks of the Jewish gangs  under the British Mandate.  

 

It was not surprising  to hear  Mr.  Blinkin, the US secretary of the State, objecting to the investigation.  What else is new?  Without  the moral and financial support of the USA  Israel would have never been  able to get away with all its violations of the rights of the Palestinians.   It is high time that Israeli leaders and soldiers should start worrying now that the ICC is opening  its investigation.  

 

However, it won’t be surprising at all that Israel will once again use the “gimmick” of AntiSemitism to blackmail members of the  International Criminal Court.  We have already seen how being  labeled as anti-Semitic has played a role in ousting politicians as well as university professors and others. We have seen a number of cases where people lose their integrity by silence, rather than be falsely labeled anti-Semitic.   Will  the court  succumb?  Or will its members  stand up against all the pressure and uphold the terms of its  mandate, and prove to be an honest court of Justice?  Let us hope so, and hope that Israelis will finally pay the price, as well as learn the  lesson that justice and only justice, and not blackmailing,  will bring about security and peace in the region.