DeepSummary
The podcast episode reveals that Israeli intelligence agencies launched a secret nine-year campaign to derail an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into possible war crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Palestinian territories. The campaign involved hacking, surveillance, and intimidation tactics against ICC officials and Palestinian human rights groups providing evidence to the court.
In 2015, when Palestine joined the ICC, Israel viewed it as a declaration of war and mobilized its intelligence agencies to monitor communications between the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and Palestinian groups. The Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen, personally approached Bensouda multiple times, trying to charm and threaten her into not pursuing the investigation.
Despite these efforts, the new ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced in 2023 that he was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over war crimes committed during the 2021 Gaza conflict. The episode details how Israel's campaign ultimately failed to stop the ICC from pursuing the investigation.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Israeli intelligence agencies conducted a secret nine-year campaign to sabotage the ICC's investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
- The campaign involved hacking, surveillance and intimidation tactics against ICC officials and witnesses by agencies like Mossad and Shin Bet.
- Mossad chief Yossi Cohen personally approached the ICC prosecutor multiple times, trying to charm and threaten her into dropping the probe.
- Despite these efforts, the new ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced in 2023 that he was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders like Netanyahu over the 2021 Gaza conflict.
- The revelations show how Israel viewed the ICC probe as an existential threat and was willing to go to extreme lengths to undermine it.
- However, Israel ultimately failed to derail the investigation, which could have severe consequences for its leadership.
- The episode exposes the tactics authoritarian regimes use to avoid accountability and undermine international institutions.
- It raises questions about the ability of international bodies like the ICC to withstand pressure from powerful states.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Today I am filing applications for warrants of arrest before pretrial chamber, one of the International Criminal Court. In the situation in the state of.“ by Fatou Bensouda
- “I insist that all attempts to impede, to intimidate or to improperly influence the officials of this court cease immediately.“ by Fatou Bensouda
- “There was one occasion where, according to sources, is that Cohen is said to have shown Bensouda copies of photographs of her husband, which had been taken covertly when the two of them. When the couple were visiting London.“ by The Guardian
- “Israel expects the leaders of the free world to stand firmly against the ICC outrageous assault on Israel's inherent right of self defense. We expect them to use all the means at their disposal to stop this dangerous move.“ by Benjamin Netanyahu
Entities
Company
Person
Organization
Product
Concept
Episode Information
Today in Focus
The Guardian
5/31/24