Novembe 21, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister
Hon. Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, Minister Freeland and Minister Joly;
Earlier this morning, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant.
By issuing arrest warrants against leaders of a country that is not a party to the ICC, the court has both made a mockery of international law and given solace to Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran — in the war initiated to exterminate Israel. This undermines the credibility of the ICC. Canada must not support this fallacious, unwarranted act of injustice.
The ICC has not issued arrest warrants for Iran’s tyrannical Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or any other Iranian official, murderous Syrian President Bashar al Assad or any other Syrian official, or the genocidal General Secretary of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, or for any other Chinese official associated with ethnic cleansing of Uyghur people.
The ICC discredits itself by taking a biased, anti-Israel stance, claiming that the alleged crimes date back to as early as October 8, 2023 – the day of mourning in Israel following Hamas’ attacks.
The ICC further takes a specious “both sides” position by issuing a warrant for a Hamas official – one who is generally considered to have been killed in July. There are not “two sides” in a war of extermination, that began with an attack on innocent civilians resulting in a massacre, massive injuries and hostage taking.
These warrants undermine the legitimacy of international law by exploiting it as a tool to benefit those who want to erase the land of Israel and wipe the Jewish people off the map of their ancient and reconstituted homeland.
Canada has always championed fairness and the rule of law on the global stage. We cannot stand by while deep-rooted biases within the ICC degrade these principles and fuel antisemitism.
The world can not have a warped system where real mass murderers and terrorist leaders go free, while those whose actions are responses to terrorist attacks, are criminalized. This double standard where Israel, defending itself against truly genocidal enemies financed by Iran, are condemned and vilified by the UN and the ICC, while real genocidaires ruling Iran, China, Syria, Afghanistan and the Congo are given a pass.
Canada must condemn this double standard prosecution by the ICC and refuse to comply by its antisemitic warrants.
Respectfully,
Andria Spindel, Executive Director
Cc Mr. Anthony Housefather, MP
Mr. Marco Mendicino, MP
Mr. Bob Rae, Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN
Ms. Deborah Lyons, Special Envoy on Combating Antisemitism and Holocaust Remembrance
Mr Iddo Moed, Israeli Ambassador to Canada
Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Michael Chong, MP
Ms Melissa Lantsman, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
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