EFF welcomes ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant
21 November 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomes the long-overdue issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. These warrants represent an essential step toward justice for the people of Palestine and accountability for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed under their leadership.
The ICC's Chamber has found reasonable grounds to believe that both Netanyahu and Gallant bear direct criminal responsibility for crimes committed from 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024. These include the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, perpetrated during Israel's actions against the civilian population in Gaza.
The EFF has consistently condemned the atrocities committed by Israel, including its systematic oppression of Palestinians, unlawful occupation of Palestinian territories, murder, and the calculated deprivation of essential goods and services such as food, water, electricity, and medical supplies. According to the ICC's report, civilians, including children, have died from malnutrition, dehydration, and preventable illnesses caused by the calculated withholding of humanitarian aid.
By obstructing the entry of medical supplies, including anaesthetics and anaesthesia machines, they inflicted severe suffering on wounded patients, forcing doctors to perform surgeries and amputations without adequate sedation. These actions, aimed at inflicting suffering and death on innocent civilians, especially children, are not only morally reprehensible but also clear violations of international humanitarian law.
The ICC's findings confirm what the world has known for decades: that Israel, under leaders like Netanyahu and Gallant, has engaged in deliberate, widespread, and systematic genocide of Palestinian civilians. The targeting of civilians, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and imposition of conditions designed to destroy a population amount to crimes that cannot go unpunished.
The issuance of these warrants is a reminder that no individual, no matter how powerful, is above the law. It is also a vindication of the Palestinian people's struggle for justice and freedom. The EFF reiterates its solidarity with the people of Palestine and supports their right to self-determination and liberation from Israeli apartheid.
We call upon the international community to unequivocally support the ICC's efforts and to ensure the enforcement of these arrest warrants. Justice must not be delayed any longer. The actions of Netanyahu and Gallant are not isolated incidents but part of a broader system of Israeli apartheid and colonial violence that demands global condemnation and tangible action.
Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 21 November 2024
