“Extermination as a crime against humanity”, “torture”, “extermination and/or murder” – these were just some of the grave accusations made by International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan this week as he sought arrest warrants for several leading Israeli and Hamas figures over the October 7 attacks and the continuing war in Gaza. While accusations have hardly been in short supply when it comes to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, this development is qualitatively different.
Although Mr Khan is seeking the arrests of Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, who would be held criminally responsible for the violence meted out by Palestinian militants against Israeli civilians on October 7, the Israeli side of the charges are getting much attention. Israeli leaders are being confronted with legal charges that challenge their country's image of itself as well as its international reputation.
From a position of insisting that its military is a fundamentally righteous actor in a sea of hostile neighbours, Israel now faces legal accusations that not only cast international doubt on that claim but recast two of the country’s most important leaders – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant – as suspected criminals on the world stage.
Mr Netanyahu’s reaction was one of unbridled indignation. He accused Mr Khan of creating “a twisted and false moral equivalence between the leaders of Israel and the henchmen of Hamas”. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed that sentiment, calling Mr Khan’s application “shameful”.
This argument of equivalency is a straw man – an attempt to deflect criticism of Israel’s aimless war in Gaza, and one that does not stand up to scrutiny. Mr Khan is drawing no such comparison between Israel and Hamas. The leaders of both have been charged, for the most part, with distinct crimes that reflect the distinct ways in which they have allegedly brutalised civilians. As Mr Khan himself has put it, the Prosecutor's mandate is not concerned with equivalence between alleged perpetrators – only victims. And that is precisely how the rule of law must work; would it really be better if courts were in the business of privileging the plight of one set of victims over another?
The Hamas trio, the warrant application claims, bear criminal responsibility for acts that include hostage taking, cruel treatment and inhumane acts. The laws of war apply even to non-state militant groups, and being a self-proclaimed resistance movement does not give licence to murder and terrorise innocents.
The charges against Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant, meanwhile, are significant because they call into question Israeli policy, not merely tactics. It is revealing that in his indictment of Israeli crimes, Mr Khan is seeking the arrest of politicians over military commanders. The notion that Israeli elected officials may have directed actions as grave as mass starvation and indiscriminate killing will damage the country’s standing in a way not seen before. This explains the furious reaction from an institutionally pro-Israel US leadership whose own international reputation has been deeply compromised by Washington’s confused and contradictory reaction to the months-long Gaza war.
It is also telling that Israeli objections thus far have been largely political, rather than legal, in nature. Israel has no shortage of military lawyers who might interrogate the substance of Mr Khan's allegations, but they have, it seems, been given a backseat to Mr Netanyahu's performative incredulity and grandstanding.
Despite the high-profile nature of Mr Khan’s request for international arrest warrants, there is no guarantee that a trial – let alone a conviction – will take place. For Israel’s leadership, a Trump White House in November could lead to the intensification of America’s political and legal cover for senior Israeli figures. Whatever the eventual results – and the ICC process could take years – one thing is for sure: we are witnessing a turning point not only in this conflict, but in the world's relationship with Israel, too.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Dubai World Cup draw
1. Gunnevera
2. Capezzano
3. North America
4. Audible
5. Seeking The Soul
6. Pavel
7. Gronkowski
8. Axelrod
9. New Trails
10. Yoshida
11. K T Brave
12. Thunder Snow
13. Dolkong
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
