Geopolitics Review - 2nd December 2024

The ICC Splits The Geopolitical World, And A Weak Ceasefire Arises

Contents

1. Introduction

2. The ICC Warrant

3. Moving Forward With A Weak Ceasefire

4. Concluding Remarks

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Bitesize Edition

• The Middle East has been a mainstream topic for over a year now. We’ve seen the October 7th attack, Hezbollah joining, and direct attacks between Israel and Iran.

• The latest chapter saw the International Criminal Court release arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

• This has split the international community. So, today, I’ll explore where many nations fall on this issue, and I’ll also explore the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Lebanon. Has this been broken so far, and what is the plan to enact this ceasefire? Find out more below.

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Introduction

A few weeks ago, as I was passing The Hague on my way to Amsterdam, we saw the International Criminal Court issue arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former defence minister of Israel over war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. The 18 judges in the court unanimously rejected Israel’s challenges against the court’s jurisdictions and issued the warrants anyway. The interesting aspect of the arrest warrants is where the rest of the world of geopolitics falls. Many have been asked for comments. Who supports the ICC, who supports Israel, and most importantly, why are countries choosing the side they’ve chosen? Let’s dive in.

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Christmas and New Year Special Offer:

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The ICC Warrant

Firstly, it’s worth noting that the U.S. and Israel are not members of the International Criminal Court. Thus it’s fairly well expected where they fall. As non-members, they are not legally bound by the ICC, but this does raise questions about the status of international justice, especially when both speak so openly against this ruling.

What it does mean is that if Netanyahu or Gallant decide to hop on a plane to any member state, they should, with should being a strong word, be obliged to arrest them. Despite this, as has been the case with the arrest warrant for Putin for his war in Ukraine and the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, some countries refuse to follow the guidance of the ICC despite being members. Putin visited Mongolia and wasn’t placed under arrest, further highlighting the enforcement of ICC rulings or a lack of enforcement.

So, who else lines up for and against the ICC warrant, and why?