RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue a subpoena and arrest warrant against Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli National Security Minister.
Palestinians claim that Ben-Gvir, an extremist minister, called for the Israeli army to carry out assassinations of Palestinians in the West Bank, similar to what occurred in the Gaza Strip during the recent military escalation.
The fighting, which lasted for five days, came to a halt on Saturday with a ceasefire mediated by Egypt. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh praised Egypt’s role in facilitating the truce between Islamic Jihad and Israel.
President Abbas emphasized that the ceasefire reflects the strength of Egyptian-Palestinian relations and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Since the beginning of the year, Israeli armed forces and settlers have reportedly killed 151 Palestinians, including women and children, with 33 of these deaths occurring in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Ben-Gvir’s positions and statements as granting a “license to kill Palestinian citizens.” It further asserted that his calls for unjustified military escalation reflect an expansionist colonial mentality aimed at perpetuating the gradual annexation of the West Bank and attempting to break the Palestinians’ will.
Palestine accuses Ben-Gvir of seeking “ethnic cleansing of Palestinian population
The ministry accused the “racist, fascist” Ben-Gvir of seeking “ethnic cleansing” and the replacement of the Palestinian population with settlers. It argued that military operations in the West Bank violate international law and the right to life, constituting apartheid politics.
The foreign ministry called on the international community to take a clear, firm and explicit stance against Ben-Gvir, appealing to the ICC to issue a subpoena and arrest warrant against him.
Ambassador Ahmad Al-Deek, political adviser to the Palestinian Foreign Minister, stated that the international community should try Ben-Gvir before the ICC, considering his statements as a veiled call to kill Palestinians.
Mustafa Barghouti, the secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Party, accused Ben-Gvir of attempting to distract from his government’s failure in Gaza in order to weaken Palestinian resistance.
Barghouti emphasized that the threats made by Ben-Gvir hold no significance for the Palestinian people and that assassinations have not weakened their determination but rather strengthened their resolve against the Israeli occupation.
Ben-Gvir’s statements come just days before the nationalist Flag March, in which approximately 7,500 Israeli settlers plan to organize a procession on May 18 in Jerusalem, passing through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter to reach the eastern part of the city.
