The International Criminal Court seeking arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders over the Gaza conflict has outraged Israelis and landed western leaders in a tricky dilemma, despite their recent warnings to Netanyahu about pulling back. The ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s move effectively puts Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on par with Hamas leaders Yehiya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed al-Masri and adds another layer of complexity to a situation grid-locked by Netanyahu’s refusal to discuss an end game and Hamas’s implacably hostile, kamikaze mindset. It is the first time that The Hague court has pursued the leader of a western-backed state.
The ICC was founded on 1 July 2002 to investigate genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and has a Cancer Sun inconjunct Neptune = good intentions but not always productive. The Saturn in Gemini opposition Pluto of 2002 (in the aftermath of 9/11, and in the midst of Afghan and pre-Irag wars) suits the ICC for tackling wars and brutality.
Karim Khan, 30 March 1970, Edinburgh, Scotland, is a UK barrister of Pakistani origin, who was in charge of the ICC’s probe into Russia’s war in Ukraine. He has had a long career in domestic and international criminal law, working on cases on the former Yugoslavia and post-genocide Rwanda.
”The biggest potential hazard confronting Khan would come if he was unable to secure support from the very countries — particularly in Europe — who created the ICC, and who would have to execute any arrest warrants.“ So far France has come out in support of the ICC move.
Norway, Ireland and Spain have recognized a Palestinian state in the face of Israel’s condemnation.
The ICC’s reforming Uranus is exactly opposition Israel’s stubborn and ego-centric Mars in Leo for a clash of agendas. Intriguingly the ICC’s Jupiter in Cancer (conjunct Mars) sits on top of Israel’s patriotic Cancer Midheaven which at a simplistic level would seem helpful in making Israel more successful. But clearly Jupiter brings its other dimension of influencing Israel to “acquire a sense of cultural responsibility and ethics in public life” (Sakoian & Acker). June 2025 would look to be a high-stakes moment with tr Uranus square the Israel/’s Mars and the ICC’s Uranus.
The Israel/ICC relationship chart has a tussle-for-the-upper-hand composite Jupiter Pluto conjunction in an unyielding square to Saturn; with an evasive/disappointing composite Sun Mercury opposition Neptune; and a different-agenda Uranus square Venus. Transiting Saturn is chilling relationships as it squares the composite Sun Mercury all this year.
Karim Khan, is a Sun Aries opposition Uranus – go-ahead, uncompromising, keen to break old moulds; with a hard-edged, determined Saturn Mars in Taurus with Saturn opposition Jupiter. He looks on red alert this year with his Solar Arc Mars square his Sun. All the 2024/25 eclipses catch his Sun Mercury in Aries and his Pluto in late Virgo – challenging times for him. 2025 looks nerve-stretched.
Amal Clooney, 3 February 1978, whose background as a lawyer is human rights has been brought in as one of several special advisers. She is a Sun Venus in Aquarius square Uranus in Scorpio and trine Pluto; with her Saturn in Leo at 28 degrees conjunct the Israel Mars and opposition the ICC’s Uranus – which will make 2025 a year to watch as tr Uranus moves to hard aspect that degree.
The Israeli/Palestinian conflict requires political and diplomatic solutions. I am not sure the ICC actions are going to advance that process. This is particularly the case with the Israeli state as it will probably reinforce their siege mentality. The fact the court is located in the very continent that circa 75 years ago were facilitating the murder of world Jewry does not help as it will only increase Israeli paranoia. Looking at the current signatories I note that a good part of the world including Russia, China and the USA plus all of the Middle East have opted out so I doubt any of the courts rulings are going to be enforced anytime soon. I would like to see Netanyahu face justice but I think the Israelis should be the ones dishing it out to him for his corrupt and disastrous leadership of the country.
I don’t know, do different charges against different people imply an equality of criminal behavior? As an American and a Democrat I’m disappointed in Biden’s response to Netanyahu being charged for his crimes in Gaza as “an outrage,” as if Netanyahu has abided by the international rules on warfare and is somehow being wrongly singled out. My most sincere hope and prayer is that this horror will lead to a viable Palestinian state.
The US has always found it difficult to accept the legitimacy of the ICJ, never signed the Statute of Rome and imposed visa restrictions on ICJ staff investigating possible US war crimes. Essentially no more in favour of international equality before the law than China and other states that it condemns. The very idea brings outrage. So Biden’s reaction is not so surprising.
Frank, yes, I was amazed to hear this news, it is an invitation, without force and levelling, allowing compromise for both sides to make some pact. Their war has been going on for decennia, any step to democracy will upset Israel, but the Palestinians I’ve known when I lived in the Middle East in the 70’s were gentle people and incredibly rational about the situation. I lived 300 metres from the ICC for many years and saw it rise up, there were high hopes for it to be accepted as inclusive, neutral and fair…. we are at the tipping point, and it is truly dreadful. The Dutch aren’t madly political or interfering en masse, yet we’ve had big demonstrations against the real situation there – no country can survive without accepting the reality of other people’s rights. You are right about the language used, it is provocative and condemning, alas.