Haaretz said “official Israeli sources familiar with the details of the procedure” told the paper “that diplomatic pressure is being exerted on the court to delay the issuance of the warrants.”
Israeli officials are unsure how long the International Criminal Court will take to decide on the possible issuing of arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following “diplomatic pressure” exerted on the court to delay the issuance of the warrants, the Haaretz newspaper has reported.
In May, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan announced his request for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior Hamas officials including Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated at the end of last month.
Efforts Underway to Issue ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Sinwar – Developing Story
Haaretz said “official Israeli sources familiar with the details of the procedure and legal experts following the matter” told the paper “that diplomatic pressure is being exerted on the court to delay the issuance of the warrants.”
The report said it was “hard to predict, however, how these measures will influence the judges’ decision.”
The request is being considered by a panel of judges who “will review legal opinions submitted by several countries and international organizations regarding the requested warrants.”
Legal Opinion
Haaretz said “one of the main issues” raised in these legal opinions is the question of the court’s jurisdiction over matters “concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the issuance of arrest warrants.”
Norway and Ireland submitted a legal opinion that recognizes that the Court has the necessary jurisdiction, while Germany’s submission questions the court’s authority.
During the previous British government led by the Conservative Party, the UK was the first to request to submit a legal opinion on the matter. However, the new government under the Labour Party has since retracted its intent to submit an opinion.
Israeli officials were “disappointed and angered by the decision,” reported Haaretz.
Labour Government Signals Policy Shift, Drops ICC Challenge on Netanyahu – Report
The Court has also received legal opinions from “dozens” of organizations and international legal experts, including the Israeli Bar Association, “which opposed the issuance of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.”
Assassinations
Haaretz said the Court “has the discretion to decide the duration of the review process, and there is no legal precedent that can clarify how much time will be needed.”
An Israeli official involved in the diplomatic efforts on the matter told Haaretz “We hope they’ll spend several weeks on this issue, but from a legal standpoint, they could also decide after a few days that they have reviewed everything and are ready to decide.”
Ismail Haniyeh – The Palestinian Refugee Who Became the Political Leader of Hamas
The assassination of Haniyeh and the alleged assassination of another senior Hamas official Muhammad Deif may also impact the court’s proceedings, the report said.
Israel claims to have killed Deif in Gaza last month, but denied by Hamas.
Haniyeh’s successor, Yahya Sinwar, is also on the list of the ICC’s request for an arrest warrant.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Just for the record, the Torah has passages on the bribing and intimidating judges.
https://torah.org/torah-portion/ravfrand-5774-shoftim/
“The positive commandment to appoint judges is immediately followed by the negative commandments associated with perverting judgment, showing favoritism to one of the disputants in a court case, and taking bribes.”
https://outorah.org/p/6345
“Just as a judge may not bend for bribery (Mitzvah #83), he may likewise not give in to extortion.”
Israel appears to be the antisemite in this case, since it pays no attention to its own traditions and ancient laws on bribery and intimidation.