Chief Prosecutor Of ICC: If Compliance With International Laws Like This, Geneva Conventions Are Useless

Israeli military land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Head of prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim Khan said in an interview with The Sunday Times, "no one has permission to commit war crimes or crimes against humanity."

He made a number of accusations against Israel, including "the fact that the water supply was cut off, that people lining up to get food were targeted and people from the aid agency were killed."

Khan said in an interview with the British newspaper, "This is not the way war should be done."

"If compliance with international humanitarian law is like this, then the Geneva Convention is useless," Khan said, quoted from WAFA May 27.

"This is a dangerous moment internationally, and unless we comply with the law, we will not be able to comply with anything," he explained.

"Countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia are closely monitoring this situation to see if global institutions are trying to preserve international law," Khan continued.

Khan's remarks came as an answer to questions regarding his request to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It drew criticism from PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, and ally of Israel, United States. However, Khan insists no one is above the law.

In addition to Israeli leaders, Khan also issued a request for an arrest warrant for three senior Hamas officials, namely Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Def (the leader of the Al Qassem Brigade) and Ismail Haniyeh.

"No one is above the law," Khan told CNN Christiane Amanpour.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said the request for an arrest warrant against Hamas and Israeli leaders was an "important step towards justice".

"The ICC prosecutor's move sends an important message to all parties involved in the conflict in Gaza and its surroundings, they will be responsible for the destruction they inflict on the people of Gaza and Israel," he said.

Those who are "suspected of being responsible for crimes based on international law" must face "court and accountability, no matter how strong or how high their rank is," Callamard said.

"No one is above international law: there is no leader of an armed group, no government official is either elected or not, no military official," he explained.

"All countries must respect court legitimacy, they must refrain from any attempt to intimidate or pressure the court so that judges can carry out their duties in full and impartial independence," he said.

The warrant, if approved by the ICC judge, means that each of the 124 countries that join the court is technically obliged to arrest PM Netanyahu and other parties issued his arrest warrant if they approach him.