Canada Joins ‘Friendly States’ in Opposing ICC War Crimes Investigation in Palestine

February 26, 2020 Articles, Features
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) in a meeting with with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo: via AJE)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The Canadian government has submitted a letter to the International Criminal Court (ICC), in which it declared support for the Israeli position, thus rejecting the ICC jurisdiction over cases of alleged war crimes committed by Israel in Palestine.

The Canadian Jewish News (CJN), which reported on the letter, said that Ottawa has communicated its position to the Court on February 14, although the content of the letter has not been made public until today. 

In the letter, Canada, which reminded the Court that its “financial contribution to the ICC will be $10.6 million this year,” stated that it does not recognize Palestine as a state and that the ICC has no jurisdiction on the case that is presented by the State of Palestine. 

The Canadian decision followed a public demand last December by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to condemn a preliminary report by the ICC that has a “reasonable basis” to investigate Israeli war crimes in the occupied territories.

Netanyahu’s letter, which was obtained by the Canadian Globe and Mail newspaper, asserted the position which was eventually adopted by the Canadian government, that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the case because Palestine does not meet the criteria of statehood.

Netanyahu’s letter read in part:

“In light of our special relations and the steadfast friendship between our countries, I urge you to publicly condemn this erroneous decision, to acknowledge there is not a Palestinian state, that the court has no jurisdiction in this matter, which involves political issues to be determined by the parties, and to voice your deep concerns regarding its dangerous ramifications to the court and the region.”

The intense Israeli lobbying followed a statement by the ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, in which she declared to be “satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine”.

“In brief, I am satisfied that war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip,” she said.

Two days after Ottawa communicated its position to the ICC, Netanyahu praised what he called “efforts” by “friendly states” to prevent the ICC from launching an investigation.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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8 Comments

  1. Very sad, Israel is doing more than war criminals did in past in different countries. We condemned canadian decision.

  2. Uh no. Trudeau is NOT Canada and Canadians, for the most part, know of Israels genocide of Palestinian, land-theft, halting medical supplies, food and water. That, by definition is genocide.

  3. One Palestine One Nation…the occupation and colonisation of Palestine by the zionist movement and with the cursed blessings of the UN and backed by Britain,USA and other countries is in itself a crime against humanity amounting to a genocide…a slow and deliberate attempted wipe out of the Palestinian history, culture and heritage…history has proven that the oppressor will never stay in power and will eventually be confined to the dustbins of history…however long it takes zionism will be doomed…so too will the allies of Zionism find its way to hell…

    • I wish this was true but America s a lesson of ethnic cleansing and genocide of indigenous populations across the North American with no hope of the oppressed regaining anything more than token sovereignty

  4. What a disgrace , with the veto system affectively immunising mass murdering war criminals like Netanyahu , the world can only go in one direction , WAR , it’s only a matter of time

  5. Shame on you Mr. Trudeau turn an eye on daily crimes contuinually commited by Israeli forces against Palestinian children and their houses were demolished (16000 Palestinian Prisoners) over one Million Palestinians were killed by Israel since 1948 and 400 Palestinian villages were demolished and disappeared and in the end you are worried about $10.60 millions your contribution to ICC what a cheap short sighted person you are money priced towards human lives what a shame you are to Canada

  6. Canada cannot deal with an apartheid state like Israel, Their treatment of Palestinians is criminal.

  7. Why is it that it takes years to present criminals to court? Justice to Palestine/Syria/Gaza/Kashmir

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