Pathetic ICC gambit

In a move to salvage its sinking credibility, the International Criminal Court (ICC), saddled with its suspected sex offender prosecutor, issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

It is the second instance this year the ICC issued orders to seize heads of non-member states. Last 17 March, the ICC made the same move against Russian President Vladimir Putin at about the same time the scandal involving Prosecutor Karim Khan erupted.

The ICC actions are hard to enforce. Aside from Israel and Russia not being members, the perception of flawed proceedings, with the intent of shoring up the stained image of the international war crimes tribunal, was alleged.

Detractors of former President Rodrigo Duterte said the ICC will shortly issue a similar order for the former Chief Executive and his officials involved in the implementation of the anti-narcotics campaign which, despite its success in breaking drug syndicates, was assailed for the deaths attributed to it.

The crimes against humanity complaints against Duterte can be contrasted with the charges against the Israeli officials over deaths that were the consequence of a relentless campaign to end threats to civilians.

The administration of US President Joe Biden “fundamentally rejects” the ICC arrest warrants against the Israelis.

Worse, the ICC may face sanctions from the US, which is another non-member of the tribunal.

The US government said it’s working with Israel on the next steps.

Some lawmakers, including US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser, urged sanctions against The Hague-based ICC over the decision.

“Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” President Biden said in his first statement responding to the ICC decision, which he denounced as “outrageous.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US would not execute the arrest warrants, and called the ICC move a “flawed process.”

The ICC’s bashing of the Israeli leaders is being linked to Khan’s effort to suppress a sexual misconduct investigation against himself.

Khan is accused of pushing a female aide into a sexual relationship and groping her against her will.

During the investigation, which was launched amid the probe against the Israeli and Hamas officials, multiple ICC staff claimed Khan and an ally in the court repeatedly pushed the woman to recant her statements to protect his reputation, based on the report of a London publication.

Other inappropriate incidents involving Khan included one where he allegedly pressed his tongue on the woman’s ear, ultimately leaving her traumatized and “experiencing severe emotional distress,” current and former ICC staffers told the UK publication.

Reports said the woman dropped the case during a likely biased ICC probe but details became public when an anonymous account on X published some of the allegations against Khan online.

The leak shocked the globe given Khan’s status in the world of international justice.

Khan dismissed calls for him to step down during the investigation. “I will be continuing all other functions as prosecutor, in line with my mandate, across situations addressed by the International Criminal Court,’’ he said.

Since he previously accused Israel of being behind a smear drive against him, the actions that the ICC recently took against Netanyahu and Gallant are tainted with suspicions of having the motive of Khan’s self-preservation.

Any action that the ICC takes, while Khan remains in his post while facing an investigation over crimes against decency, will be marked with the prosecutor’s face-saving motivations.