ICC can prosecute individuals from Israel: Mbeki

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Former President Thabo Mbeki says it is not true that the International Criminal Court (ICC) cannot investigate and prosecute individuals from Israel.

This comes at the time where there are reports that the ICC is considering issuing a warrant of arrest for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mbeki was addressing a gathering at Freedom Park in Pretoria where he reflected on 30 years of democracy in South Africa.

“They were very active in those negotiations but then took the position that that thing will never have a binding on the statute, the ICC and all that…does not mean International Criminal Court cannot charge people.”

Meanwhile, Germany’s legal representative welcomed a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Tuesday against issuing emergency orders to stop German arms exports to Israel.

Speaking after the hearing at the court in The Hague, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen said Germany had approached the conflict between Israel and Hamas “as best possible within the framework of international law”.

However, the court did not grant a German request to throw out the case, so it can move forward.

Nicaragua accuses Berlin of violating international humanitarian law and the 1948 Genocide Convention by continuing to supply Israel with arms after ICJ judges ruled in January that it was plausible Israel violated some rights guaranteed under the genocide convention during its assault on Gaza.

Von Uslar-Gleichen said Germany would continue to refute Nicaragua’s arguments and the case was “absolutely false”.

Nicaragua’s ambassador Carlos Jose Arguello Gomez said while his country’s request for emergency measures had not been granted, the case would “keep everybody vigilant in remembering what their obligations are”.

Protesters among a around 20 people demonstrating outside the court said they were “devastated” and “incredibly disappointed” with the court’s ruling.