Just Security

(Editor’s note: This article is part of Just Security ’s Symposium, International Law in the Face of Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine: The View from Lviv.)

Following recent reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) might soon issue arrest warrants in its investigation of “the situation in Palestine,” several members of Congress have threatened crippling sanctions against the court’s officials. These threats come just weeks after Congress was moved by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to appropriate funds for the ICC for the first time, in a case of congressional whiplash that points to the costs of the contradictory U.S. posture toward the ICC.

Israel-Hamas War • Symposium: Russia's aggression in Ukraine • Symposium: Armed groups and international law • Series: Syrian victims fund • Genocide • Artificial intelligence • United Nations / Torture • Democracy and human rights: Hungary, Georgia, Vietnam • Trump / False electors scheme

With news that the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s Chief Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan KC, has applied for arrest warrants for two senior Israeli officials and three Hamas leaders in relation to the situation in Palestine, we are launching a symposium to provide legal and policy analysis of the developing events, as well as to provide context and serve as a resource for policymakers, journalists, and the public. Check back frequently for updates.

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the weekend.

A timeline of the procedures preceding and expected to follow the International Criminal Court Prosecutor's application for arrest warrants in Israel-Hamas war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent stop in Serbia as part of his first European visit in five years was a potent reminder of the shifting geopolitical allegiances in the Western Balkans and the historical undercurrents that continue to shape this tumultuous region. New poll results also illustrate the variations in views of China across the region and the competing interests the United States and European Union face in seeking to integrate the Western Balkans into the EU and NATO.

On Monday, May 20, International Criminal Court head Prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he has submitted an application to the Court’s judges to issue arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, the Minister of Defence of Israel, and three Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The allegations are extensive, as discussed in a lengthy statement released by the Prosecutor, although the application itself is not yet public.

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours.

ITLOS determined that UNCLOS requires parties to take specific, concrete steps to prevent, reduce, and control greenhouse gas emissions.