ICC Arrest Warrants: A Smokescreen for Western Complicity in Genocide

London - The recent ICC arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant serve as a dangerous distraction from the real culprits behind the ongoing genocide in Gaza. High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions, particularly the US, UK, and Germany, bear the primary responsibility for failing to prevent and actively enabling Genocide. 

The allies of Israel have armed, shielded, and participated in the systematic eradication of Palestinians—a crime that cannot be individualised but must be seen as a joint enterprise rooted in settler colonialism and Western imperial policy.

By focusing narrowly on individual Israeli politicians, the ICC abandons its duty to confront the full extent of the crime. The West’s diplomatic and military support has not only provided cover for the atrocities but also ensured their continuity. The UK, for instance, has reportedly led intelligence operations that directly facilitate the slaughter in Gaza. This is not negligence but active complicity.  

If the ICC wishes to salvage its integrity, it must issue arrest warrants for senior figures in the US, UK, and European governments who have enabled this genocide. 

Anas Mustapha, Head of Public Advocacy at CAGE International said:
“Hundreds of thousands have been murdered because the ICC remains shackled by the political interests of Western powers, reducing itself to a tool for obfuscation rather than accountability.”

“The settler-colonial regime cannot function without this Axis of complicity. Justice demands not just the indictment of individuals but the dismantling of an entire system of apartheid and impunity that thrives on genocide.”

Image World Economic Forum on Flickr