Daily Alert Archives

How the ICC Is Encouraging Greater Civilian Casualties

(JNS) Evelyn Gordon - The International Criminal Court prosecutor's decision to open a criminal investigation against Israel may well result in even higher casualties and more extensive property damage. Like all Western countries, Israel makes great efforts to uphold customary laws of war, including by trying to minimize civilian casualties. In fact, Israel has historically caused fewer civilian casualties and less property damage than other Western armies. Many Israelis argue that the restrictions imposed on the army's use of force put Israel's own soldiers and civilians at greater risk. Now, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has declared that all the IDF's efforts were worthless: that meeting or even exceeding the West's highest standards is no longer enough to keep you out of legal trouble. Thus, the ICC has essentially said there's no point in even trying to uphold the laws of war. This could lead other Western militaries to conclude that efforts to abide by the laws of war have become pointless.
2020-03-20 00:00:00
Full Article