President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has welcomed the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to seek an arrest warrant for the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and the former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant. In a social media post, President Dr. Muizzu stated that the decision taken by the ICC was a critical step towards holding Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity and acts of genocide against the innocent people of Palestine. The president noted that the Maldives respects the decision taken by the ICC. He also underscored the crucial need for implementing the Court’s ruling, upholding international law and ensuring justice for the Palestinian people, to restore peace in the region. In addition to issuing arrest warrants for the prime minister and the former Defence Minister of Israel, the Office of the ICC’s Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan KC revealed that efforts are underway to issue arrest warrants for three senior leaders of Hamas. The International Criminal Court was established on July 1, 2002, with the signature of 60 countries. The court’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, was adopted in July 1998. It is an independent court, approved by the United Nations, and serves as the last resort for the prosecution of serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It is a must for all ICC member states to implement the decisions taken by the court.
