1500 Israeli Citizens Calls on ICC to act swiftly to protect the Palestinian population in Gaza from genocide, citing War Crimes

Members of the 1500-strong group Israelis Against Apartheid sent an urgent public letter to Karim A. A. Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, for immediate international intervention to halt the massacre in Gaza. In the letter they state that  “for the safety and future of Israelis and Palestinians alike, all elements of international law that protect civilian lives must be enforced.”

The call outlines instances of incitement to genocide stemming from Israeli authorities, public figures and journalists, urging the international legal body “to take accelerated actions against the escalating Israeli war crimes, and genocide of the Palestinian people.”

As Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza soar to nearly 9,000 with over 1,000 feared trapped under the rubble, Israelis Against Apartheid directive to the ICC outlines demands to intensify pressure and bring a swift end to Israeli war-waging impunity with legal consequence from the court. 

The Israeli letter demands the immediate issue of arrest warrants against Israeli political and military-security leaders who are committing war crimes and crimes against humanity and urges acceleration of criminal investigation into ongoing war crimes. “Israeli War crimes are systematic and ongoing and they are increasing. Clear, well-documented evidence of them has been submitted to your office for years. We urge you to take immediate and concrete action.”

A member of the group explained: “ we have been working on this letter for over a week, but we could not keep up with the horrifying reality on the ground in Gaza and the increasing blatant calls for Genocide and Ethnic cleansing in Israel”. Another added that “the western world is complicit; by allowing Israel to continue for decades with its racist and illegal occupation and siege on the Palestinian population. They know very well what’s going on, and they choose to ignore the Palestinian plight for freedom and Justice. This is unacceptable and has cost many lives of Palestinians and Israelis. It has also contributed to the ongoing deterioration of Israel into a violent Apartheid regime.” In grief for Israelis who were killed and captured, she adds: “I see the Israeli victims as victims of this ongoing oppression. Ongoing cruelty and abuse are a fertile ground for violent and cruel retaliation. All nonviolent Palestinian initiatives, such as BDS or the March of Return, have been ignored and were also labeled by Israel as extremist or even as terrorist, despite their nonviolent nature. Furthermore, Israel does not distinguish between legitimate attacks on soldiers of an occupying force and attacks on civilians, actually they consider both as acts of terror.”

She closes with a spark of hope within the general tone of desperation saying: “this should be a wakeup call to everyone. We must find a new path that will provide freedom, justice and security for all!”

Previous calls by Israelis Against Apartheid:  

• An open letter to the international community on the 18th of October 2023.
• An Open Letter to the International Community 2021: Israeli Jews Call: “Stop Israel’s Apartheid!” – 2021

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