I had a brief interview on Wednesday, May 29th about Israel and Gaza on Jahan Emrooz ("Today's World"), a live late night news programme broadcast from Tehran on the Islamic Republic Of Iran News Network (IRINN). One question related to the revelation about the threats issued by ex-Mossad chief Yossi Cohen to Fatou Bensouda, the former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court,` and the other to paralysis caused to the United Nations system by the use of the veto to deny a UN Security Council Resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza.
Q. According to the recent report published by the Guardian, Mossad directly threatened the ICC prosecutor and her family. We can see that Israel not only doesn't stop its genocide and doesn't follow international laws but also threatens the prosecutor. You teach law in England, based on the actions that Israel has shown what do those international rules mean?
Ans. Well, I think that this is an extremely sad development. It shows us two things. First is that Israel does not believe itself to be a normal nation. It deems itself to be exceptionalist and that it can act above international laws and norms, and as a result it rejects the universal moral order. And the second point would be that it also reveals the shambles of this so-called international rules-based order which the United States, Israel's benefactor and enabler, has often touted. It shows the hypocrisy that Israel can do things which are redolent of gangsterism. If you interfere with a judge, a person who is a judicial (office) holder through threats to them or harass them as Yossi Cohen did, that is a criminal offence, a very serious criminal offence which should be punished. Alas, that is the situation that we see ourselves in because this has been brewing for many years. Israel has flagrantly flouted international law and it is time for the international community to start doing something. The first thing they should start doing, obviously, is to accept the prosecutor's recommendation that Netanyahu and his defence minister Gallant be prosecuted, and that notice is served and that this be rigorously pursued. Otherwise the international law will be in disrepute.
Q. Another factor is the position of the UN in the world. We know that the United States has vetoed the ceasefire in this war four times. Even Joseph Borrell mentioned that the UN system was paralyzed by veto. If international organizations cannot stop the genocide, when will they be useful?
Ans. Yes, I think for once Mr. Borrell does make sense. He speaks to the views, opinions and principles of people around the world. I think it is extraordinary the way the United States has continued to give licence to Israel to do whatever it pleases. Even in the past you had situations where the United States in its position with the United Nations would give Israel certain limits. Now, that has gone out of the window, and it really is imperilling the credibility of the United Nations as an institution. I think that when you have a deadlock for a serious issue like genocide you cannot have more than one veto. I think there should be a position where the next vote should be (decided) on a majority basis, in which case Israel would be to a certain extent be held to account. So I wholeheartedly agree with Borrell's view or appraisal of the situation. I would add just one other thing. If the United Nations is not shaping up in the way that it should, I think it invites us to consider those other supra-national bodies, international organisations like the EU, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, these organisations - OPEC even - that they should put in as much economic and diplomatic pressure against Israel. These are international collectives, but unfortunately this has not happened. Turkey has made some inroads, but they could do more. If the oil from Azerbaijan could be stopped - I think that it goes to Israel under the auspices of Turkey- that would put Israel under enormous pressure to the extent that it may not be able to continue with this mass genocide.
© Adeyinka Makinde (2024).
Adeyinka Makinde is a writer and lecturer in law who is based in London, England.
The interview can be viewed at:
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