Israel threatens to assault southern Lebanon if Hezbollah doesn’t reply to “ultimate ultimatum”

Yesterday (Monday), the Prosecutor of the Worldwide Prison Court docket, Karim Khan, submitted a request to problem two arrest warrants in opposition to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Protection Minister Yoav Galant on fees of committing crimes in opposition to humanity.

The request to problem two arrest warrants in opposition to Netanyahu and Gallant pertains to struggle crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity dedicated within the Gaza Strip starting on October 8, a day after for Hamas activists to launch their assault on Israel.

These crimes embrace “hunger of civilians as a technique of struggle” and “intentionally directing assaults in opposition to the civilian inhabitants,” in response to an announcement issued by Khan’s workplace.

Arrest warrants have been additionally issued in opposition to the pinnacle of Hamas within the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, and different representatives of the Palestinian motion.

So what will we find out about Karim Khan?

Briton Karim Khan rapidly gained a fame as a distinguished prosecutor, in response to what was reported by the British newspaper “The Guardian”.

In a global courtroom identified for its notoriously sluggish procedures, Khan moved rapidly in opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged struggle crimes in Ukraine, and now in opposition to Hamas and Israeli officers over struggle in Gaza.

Khan’s resolution to acquire the arrest warrants, which the USA and different Western international locations met strongly, seems to be in step with his willpower to persuade the worldwide neighborhood that the ICC will pursue struggle criminals. which is charged outdoors of locations like African international locations. , the place lots of his points have been centered.

Khan, 54, was nominated to be the Prosecutor of the Worldwide Prison Court docket in 2021. In a secret poll, the British beat candidates from Eire, Spain and Italy to win within the second spherical of voting supported by 72 international locations – ten greater than wanted. variety of international locations 62.

Simply months after being appointed to a nine-year time period in The Hague, Khan shifted the ICC’s investigation in Afghanistan away from US forces and centered on alleged crimes dedicated by the Taliban and members of its Afghan department. of the anti-ISIS group. The transfer drew criticism from human rights teams, and a few believed it was an try to achieve Washington’s help.

A distinct battle with the USA

In line with Reuters, opposition to the Worldwide Prison Court docket reached its peak through the administration of former President Donald Trump, when the USA imposed sanctions on courtroom members and froze financial institution accounts. the previous prosecutor.

As an indication of enhancing relations, sanctions have been lifted beneath President Joe Biden.

Final June, the US Legal professional Common made the primary ever go to to the Worldwide Prison Court docket within the courtroom’s 22-year historical past. Merrick Garland met with Khan and supported his investigation into the Russian-Ukrainian struggle and the arrest warrant issued by the courtroom for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However the improvement in relations with the USA took a harmful flip yesterday (Monday) after Khan appeared on CNN to announce his authorized efforts after the battle within the Center East.

US President Joe Biden rapidly criticized Khan’s efforts to problem orders to arrest senior Israeli officers, describing them as “disgraceful.” “

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken criticized Legal professional Common Khan, and stated that Khan deliberate to go to Israel subsequent week to debate cooperation with the courtroom. Blinken stated Khan as an alternative appeared on tv to announce the allegations.

“These and different circumstances increase questions in regards to the validity and credibility of this examine,” Blinken stated.

US Home of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, who belongs to the Republican Celebration, stated Khan’s resolution to hunt arrest warrants was “baseless and unlawful.”

A superhero of girls and youngsters

Khan and his workplace are beneath intense scrutiny over his investigation into the battle between Israel and Hamas, with political strain together with a uncommon public criticism earlier this month.

Khan stated that each one makes an attempt to impede, intimidate or improperly affect ICC officers should cease instantly.

Khan has traveled ceaselessly to international locations beneath investigation by the Worldwide Prison Court docket. He was the primary ICC prosecutor to go to a struggle zone when he visited Ukraine in March 2021.

In December, Khan visited Israel and the Palestinian territories within the West Financial institution, which was additionally the primary go to of its variety by an ICC prosecutor.

Khan, who graduated from King’s Faculty London, emphasised his dedication to prosecuting intercourse offenders and defending youngsters’s rights.

He identifies himself as a member of the Ahmadiyya sect in Pakistan, and quoted verses from the Qur’an in a number of statements issued by the courtroom.

Throughout his authorized profession spanning greater than three a long time, Khan has served in nearly each worldwide legal tribunal, holding positions within the prosecution, defence, in addition to working as a sufferer advocate.

Khan started his profession in worldwide regulation as a authorized advisor to the Workplace of the Prosecutor on the United Nations Particular Struggle Crimes Tribunal for the previous Yugoslavia and Rwanda between 1997 and 2001.

His star shone when he was the lead protection lawyer for former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was tried for struggle crimes earlier than the Particular Court docket for Sierra Leone, summoned to The Hague to strive Taylor.

On the primary day of the trial in 2007, Khan stormed out of the courtroom, defying the judges’ orders, after asserting that Charles Taylor had declined his companies.

Khan later labored on ICC instances involving Kenya, Sudan and Libya earlier than being appointed in 2018 as head of a UN investigative workforce to advertise accountability for crimes dedicated by ISIS in Iraq.