The International Criminal Court has just issued arrest warrants this Thursday against Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as the head of the armed wing of Hamas Mohammed Deif. Warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity. This news is received with great skepticism by some Palestinians, tinged with some notes of hope for others. Reports from Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
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Reporting from the Gaza Strip Rami El Meghari, with our correspondent in Jerusalem, Sami Boukhelifa
“ In Gaza, information reaches unhindered, unlike humanitarian aid blocked by Israel », Explains the young Baraa, who has just learned the news: the ICC is issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials.
“ This decision will have no impact. Who cares about us? If international justice really wanted to stop the Israelis, it should have acted from the start, during the first, second or third month of war. They let us be massacred for thirteen months… our lives are devastated. I’m barely 21, but I no longer have a future. We are dead inside “.
Same observation, Louay agrees. “ This war will continue until the Israelis have eradicated Hamas. They killed the leaders of Hamas: Sinwar and probably Deif too. And in the end, only Netanyahu will be left. »
We lost a year of our life and we are losing the second year. We lost our jobs, we lost our friends. They can’t give me back my life, my school, my salary…
For Asma, a French teacher in Gaza, “it doesn’t change anything”
Also readInternational Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and head of Hamas military wing
“ I hope they will be judged, but Western countries support Israel »
Abu Samer welcomes the ICC’s decision. “ These mandates were necessary. Netanyahu, Gallant and their clique do not have an ounce of humanity in them. I hope they will be judged. But unfortunately, Western countries unconditionally support Israel “.
And when we are supported by the powerful, “ we escape the justice of men », Regrets Abu Samer. “ If Hamas military wing leader Mohammed Deif is still alive, he will likely be tried by the ICC. But little chance of seeing Benyamin Netanyahu and his former Minister of Defense, behind bars », concludes the Gazans.
Also readICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu: in Jerusalem, the embarrassment and indignation of Israelis
“ A first step in a battle »
It is an announcement that brings some hope to the Palestinians, one of the few in a year and more than a month, reports our correspondent in Ramallah, Alice Froussard.
[Reportage] Palestinian reactions in Ramallah
Hussein, a resident of Ramallah, already knows that this will stop neither the war in Gaza nor the Israeli occupation. “ This is a first step in a battle and it sends a very clear message “, he explains. “ We know that it is not magic, that it will take time, but today there is nothing left that we can call human rights. I believe that in the dictionary we should even redefine this notion of human rights when we talk about it in the Palestinian context. »
According to him, it’s a start. For others, it is the consecration of years of work, explains Khaled, a lawyer. “ The situation in Palestine has been marked by total impunity for flagrant violations of international law », he draws up as an observation. “ Now those who committed these crimes will be held to account, which is extremely important. And I think that’s exactly important, not just for the Palestinians, but also for the Israelis, so that they know that they can no longer continue to commit crimes and do it with impunity. »
As for Mohammed Deif, of Hamas, he is also targeted by this international arrest warrant. Many point out that he is probably dead and that if he is alive, he will never be able to leave Gaza anyway.