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NGO Monitor Panel Explores Consequences for Israel of ICC Developments
December 19, 2016
Panel Explores Consequences for Israel of ICC Developments
At a roundtable discussion held today, Monday, December 19, sponsored by NGO
Monitor and the Department of Political Studies and the Faculty of Law at
Bar Ilan University, a panel of experts discussed concerns about the future
of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the potential impact for
Israel following recent developments.
The panel examined the intended withdrawal of African countries from the
court, proposed Israeli settlement legislation, possible indictments of
American and British soldiers, and the impact of these issues on the ICC’s
ongoing investigation into Israel.
According to Prof. Eugene Kontorovich, Professor of Law at Northwestern
University, “The ICC is not an all-powerful forum of international justice,
but rather a politically weakened institution that has had numerous
countries quit its membership in recent months. Perhaps it is true justice
that real countries began quitting the ICC shortly after it accepted a
non-country – Palestine.”
Among the leading experts who addressed the event were Prof. Gerald
Steinberg, Professor of Political Science at Bar Ilan University and
President of NGO Monitor; Anne Herzberg, Legal Advisor at NGO Monitor; Prof.
Eugene Kontorovich, Professor of Law at Northwestern University; Adv. Pnina
Sharvit Baruch, Head of the Program on Law and National Security at the
Institute for National Security Studies and former Head of the IDF
International Law Department; and Prof. Avi Bell, Professor of Law at
Bar-Ilan University and University of San Diego.
Commenting on how the court often uses political rather than legal
definitions, including broad interpretations of occupation and settlement
activity, Prof. Avi Bell, Professor of Law at Bar-Ilan University and
University of San Diego noted, “When the crime has expanded to everything,
we are all criminals.”
Also addressing whether the ICC is a politicized body similar to the UN
Human Rights Council, Adv. Pnina Sharvit Baruch, Head of the Program on Law
and National Security at the Institute for National Security Studies and
former Head of the IDF International Law Department commented, “There is no
proof yet that the court will be clearly political…but we have good
arguments and Israel should present them.”
In addition, the following comments were also made during the event:
Anne Herzberg, Legal Advisor at NGO Monitor:
“The International Criminal Court is a young institution working on building
its legitimacy. Yet, the Office of the Prosecutor appears to be repeating
many of the mistakes of other international organizations investigating
armed conflict by heavily relying on the unverified claims of a narrow
sector of political advocacy NGOs. In the case of the investigation of the
Gaza War, this narrow sector consists almost exclusively of NGOs promoting
the Palestinian narrative, including several NGOs that have links to the
PFLP terror organization. If the ICC wishes to be viewed as a credible
institution carrying out genuine investigations, the Prosecutor must end
this practice.”
Prof. Gerald Steinberg, Professor of Political Science at Bar Ilan
University and President of NGO Monitor:
“The negotiations to establish the ICC are an important part of the story.
Clearly the ICC is a political body as much it is a legal body. As such many
NGOs, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are seeking to
use this human rights framework as part of political lawfare, demonization
of Israel, and human rights and war crimes allegations.”
NGO Monitor provides information and analysis, promotes accountability, and
supports discussion on the reports and activities of NGOs (non-governmental
organizations) claiming to advance human rights and humanitarian agendas.
© 2016 The Amuta for NGO Responsibility. All Rights Reserved.
NGO Monitor, 1 Ben Maimon Blvd., Jerusalem, 92262 Israel
Source: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=71897
