Amal Clooney Is One Of The Legal Experts Who Recommended War Crimes Charges In Israel-Hamas War

Amal Clooney is one of the legal experts who advised the chief prosecutor of the world’s top war crimes court to seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and militant Hamas commanders.

The human rights lawyer and wife of actor George Clooney wrote about her involvement in a letter published Monday on the Clooney Foundation for Justice website. She stated that she and other international law experts unanimously agreed to suggest that the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, obtain the warrants.

Amal CLooney | AP news Image

Amal Clooney Is One Of The Legal Experts Who Recommended War Crimes Charges In Israel-Hamas War

Khan declared his intention to do so on Monday, claiming that actions made by Israeli authorities and Hamas during the seven-month Gaza conflict constituted war crimes.

“I served on this Panel because I believe in the rule of law and the need to protect civilian lives,” stated Clooney in a letter. “The law that protects civilians in war was developed more than 100 years ago and it applies in every country in the world regardless of the reasons for a conflict.”

Clooney stated that the panel included specialists on international humanitarian law and international criminal law, as well as two former judges from criminal tribunals in The Hague, where the ICC is situated. She clarified that their decision was unanimous. On Monday, the panel issued an op-ed in the Financial Times outlining its recommendations.

A panel of three judges at the ICC will determine whether to issue arrest warrants and allow the case to proceed. The judges usually take two months to make such determinations.

Amal Clooney | AP news Image

Amal Clooney Is One Of The Legal Experts Who Recommended War Crimes Charges In Israel-Hamas Wa

In his announcement on Monday, Khan accused Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas commanders — Yehia Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh — of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel.

Netanyahu and other Israeli authorities blasted the move as disgusting and anti-Semitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also criticized the prosecution and defended Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas.

Israel is not a member of the court; therefore, even if the arrest warrants are issued, Netanyahu and Gallant will not face instant prosecution. However, the possibility of arrest may make it impossible for Israeli leaders to travel abroad. The West already considers Hamas an international terrorist outfit.

The latest battle between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, when militants from Gaza crossed into Israel, killing over 1,200 people, the majority of them were civilians, and kidnapping 250 more.

Amal Clooney | AP News Image

Amal Clooney Is One Of The Legal Experts Who Recommended War Crimes Charges In Israel-Hamas War

Since then, Israel has launched a ruthless effort to demolish Hamas in Gaza. According to the most recent figures from Gaza health officials, more than 35,000 Palestinians have died in the war, with at least half of them being women and children.

According to U.N. officials, the war has caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, displacing about 80% of the population and putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of famine.

SOURCE – (AP)