In a significant victory for the global Palestine solidarity movement, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has finally been compelled to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against Palestinians in besieged Gaza from at least 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024.
Despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Australian government has persistently refused to take a definitive stance, failing to either condemn the atrocities by Israel or uphold its obligations to prevent genocide, under international law.
While we welcome Foreign Minister Penny Wong taking a different approach to the US, and saying that Australia respects the ICC and international law – in response to news of the arrest warrants – we urge the government to go further and commit to enforcing them. While calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief without naming the perpetrators and the victims, Wong’s statement sidesteps Australia’s responsibility to uphold international law and hold war criminals accountable.
Australia’s inaction and complicity has gone on for far too long in the face of stark evidence of Israel’s unrelenting violence against Palestinians. Australia must publicly and urgently declare that it will honour its commitments under the Rome Statute, comply with the ICC’s arrest warrants, and support all international justice mechanisms.
Nasser Mashni, President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), stated: “Australia must join other countries such as Canada, Netherlands, France, amongst others, that have confirmed their commitment to enforcing the arrest warrants.”
“By doing so, Australia will finally join the growing consensus among nations determined to take meaningful actions in bringing the Israeli genocide in Gaza to an end.”
“While the ICC arrest warrants are a critical step towards some accountability for Palestinians in the realm of international law, this is not the end of the struggle for justice and liberation for Palestinians.”
Along with committing to enforce the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant, the Australian government must take immediate measures to end its complicity in Israeli violations. This includes sanctions on Israeli individuals and entities instituting a two-way arms embargo and severing trade and diplomatic ties with Israel until it ceases its systematic oppression, apartheid, military occupation and genocide against Palestinians.
The government must take similar decisive action to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s recent decision to deny a visa to former Israeli Interior and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, which demonstrates that the Australian government has the power and legal frameworks to act against Israeli individuals and entities complicit in genocide and genocide incitement.
The global community must continue to push for a ceasefire, ending the siege on Gaza, dismantling apartheid, occupation and Israel’s settler-colonial structures that continue to subjugate, oppress and harm millions of Palestinians in and outside of Palestine.