By Max Bartels
Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East
Jerusalem, Israel
Officials of the International Criminal Court stated Thursday that they were not pursuing any case against Israel for potential war crimes for the 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara. The raid was conducted by Israeli Defense Force Commandos on a passenger ship that was attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver aid. During the raid eight Turkish citizens and one Turkish- American was killed by the commandos.
A prosecutor for the International Court announced that there was a reasonable basis to believe that the Israeli commandos committed war crimes during the raid. However, the prosecutor also announced that the case lacks the specific gravity required for the prosecution of those crimes to be pursued. The same prosecutor also said that the International Criminal Court shall prioritize war crimes that are committed on a large scale or pursuant to some plan or policy.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that there was no basis to open a preliminary investigation in the first place. They further stated that they regretted that the International criminal court wasted its time in the initial inquiry. The Israeli’s believe that the allegations of war crimes were legally unfounded and politically motived, the international Criminal Court was established to prosecute the worst atrocities in the world, and that this event can hardly fall under that category.
A law firm in Turkey originally filled the request for the International Criminal Court to investigate the incident. Neither Turkey nor Israel has signed onto the Rome Statute, the international agreement that governs the International Criminal Court. However, the ship was registered to the Comoros Islands, which is a party to the Rome Statute and establishes standing for the case. A lawyer representing the Comoros Islands stated that they will not give up the struggle for justice and will pursue the claim.
Many are worried about the ramifications of this news. Pro-Palestinian activists will likely be very upset at the news, they have repeatedly tried to draw the International Criminal Court into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Tensions in Jerusalem are high at the moment and there are concerns that this news will further escalate violence.
For more information, please see:
The LA Times — International Court will Not Prosecute Israel in Aid Flotilla Case — 6 November, 2014
