Netanyahu arrest warrant relied on ‘implausible' claims of famine in Gaza, report claims
The International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu was based on 'implausible' claims of famine, a UK charity has said.
A new report by UK Lawyers for Israel Charitable Trust (UKLFI) alleges that 'alarming projections' of a famine were in fact based on 'significant errors, methodological flaws, and misrepresentations'.
The claim of imminent famine in Gaza formed a central plank of the ICC arrest warrant issued against the Israeli prime minister and Yoav Gallant, the former defence minister, last year.
When setting out the grounds for the ICC's warrant Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor, said: 'Famine is present in some areas of Gaza and is imminent in other areas.'
He went on to accuse Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant of having 'a common plan to use starvation as a method of war'.
The statement was based partly on reports of imminent famine by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net), a body established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) to keep track of food insecurity across the world.
FEWS Net has now gone offline following the freezing of USAid activities by the Trump administration.
UKLFI's report criticises FEWS Net's findings and argues: 'The term famine is a scientific classification based on standards, evidence, and technical consensus, not a rhetorical or emotive term.'
The technical definition of famine was developed for use in Somalia in 2004 by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
The UKLFI report said: 'While the humanitarian situation in Gaza is undoubtedly serious, the evidence does not support claims of famine or emergency as defined by the IPC.
'Future assessments should strive for greater accuracy and objectivity to ensure that international responses are proportionate and based on factual realities.'
The report calls for 'clearer communication of the differences between current assessments, projections, and worst-case scenarios' and 'increased scrutiny of famine reports by courts, policy makers and media before using them as a basis for decision-making or reporting'.
Jonathan Turner, executive director of UKLFI, said: 'Warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu and Gallant have been issued by the ICC on the false ground that Israel deliberately used starvation as a method of war.
'UKLFI's latest review shows that reports of famine on which the prosecutor relied were not plausible and were based on inaccurate and anomalous data regarding food supplies and malnutrition.'
'Persisting in these allegations is liable to further undermine the ICC's reputation and to strengthen opposition to its activities.'
This week, Mr Khan was barred from entering the US by Donald Trump and on Monday the White House issued sanctions against the chief prosecutor for his role in the ICC decision to issue an arrest warrant against Mr Netanyahu.
Mr Trump's executive order sanctioning the ICC accused the court of 'illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel'.
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