Hamas is going to sue Israel in the ICC. Over the Gaza air strikes.
Yes, really.
Yes. REALLY.
The Palestinian Authority is planning to file a petition with The Hague against Israel for “war crimes it committed against the Palestinians,” a reference to the latest series of air strikes in Gaza and arrests of Hamas legislators in the West Bank.
The decision to press war crime charges against Israel with the International Criminal Court was announced by Justice Minister Ahmad al-Khalidi in an interview with the London-based daily al-Quds al-Arabi.
And in typical palestinian fashion, if they get what they want, they’re right. If they don’t get what they want, they’re right anyway, and it’s the world’s fault for not acknowledging the rightness of their cause.
The minister warned that if the court fails to stop Israel’s aggression against the Palestinians, Hamas will have no choice but to use violence in order to protect the Palestinian people.
“Suing Israel in the international court is a test for international institutions. If they deny the rights of Palestinians, then the international community has to act responsibly when it comes to blocking the legal channels to the Palestinians, forcing them to use violence to defend ourselves and our people,” he said.
Do you get it? They’re going to sue Israel in the ICC over the legitimate reaction to a act of war by Hamas terrorists. Then, if the ICC refuses to hear the case, or if Hamas loses, Hamas will presumably launch more acts of war in retaliation to Israel’s defending herself.
And of course, the world will then tell Israel to use restraint.
All of this makes sense if you’re in Wonderland. And sometimes I think that’s exactly where we are.
For some reason this reminds me of the amusing idea posed a few years ago by an Egyptian legal scholar, who suggested that Egypt sue the Jews worldwide for treasures looted from Egypt following the exodus. Of course Israeli scholars laughed at the idea, since any damages received would have been dwarfed by those from the ensuing countersuit for wages owed for 400 years of slavery.
It would seem as if this proposed lawsuit would fall into a similar category.
Yep, since everything the Paliswinians do violates international law they are open to a massive countersuit. However, the ICC is hardly an impartial body, it is biased towards the anti-Israel side, big time. IIRC it indicted Sharon for “war crimes” during its first 24 hours in existence. There is no justice to be had from the ICC, not for Israel, not for America, not for anybody who values liberty. (bleep) ’em.
You can only sue a legal entity. But Hamas doesn’t recognize Israel as a legal entity. Then again, no one has ever accused Hamas of thinking clearly.