Namibia has welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue a warrants of arrest for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
International relations executive director Penda Naanda said although this decision was long overdue, it is a step in the right direction.
Naanda said the decision demonstrates that Palestinians deserve justice, just like others in any part of the world.
“Namibia also believes the role of international institutions in upholding justice and fairness is essential. When these institutions act impartially and without bias, they can provide a framework for accountability, protecting the human rights of all, including Palestinians, thereby strengthening peace and stability, not only in the Middle East but worldwide,” he said in a statement. Naanda said these arrest warrants are not and should not be considered or interpreted as an indictment against Israel as a country but as an obligation to account for those responsible for the crimes committed.
“Namibia calls on all UN member states to cooperate with the International Criminal Court and to assist the same international justice system created by the international community in bringing the perpetrators to justice and to answer for their crimes,” added the ambassador.
He said this helps to ensure that justice is not only done but is also seen to be done, restoring trust and faith in the international system.
In February, Namibia, through justice minister Yvonne Dausab and international lawyer Phoebe Okowa, presented oral statements at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
At the time, Dausab said due to its history, Namibia considered it a moral duty and sacred responsibility to appear before the court on the question of the indefensible occupation of Palestine by Israel.
“It is because of Namibia’s experience with apartheid and its long fight for self-determination that we cannot look the other way in the face of the brutal atrocities committed against the Palestinian people,” she said.
“Both Namibians and Palestinians have suffered the loss of human dignity, life, liberty and the outright theft of their land and natural resources. Hundreds of thousands of their people were violently expelled from their homes or forced into exile, joining the ranks of the world’s refugees,” she reminded the ICJ.
Primarily, the ICJ resolves disputes among states while the ICC prosecutes individuals for crimes. The ICC has additionally issued a warrant of arrest of Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Isreal, which left over 1 000 Israelis dead and capturing around 200, some of whom remain in captive to this day.
Analysts say Netanyahu has continually torpedoed a possible end to fighting in Gaza as it would likely collapse his far right and ultranationalist government as well as the launch of an official investigation into the security failures by Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in the run-up to the Hamas attack on October 7. Netanyahu is also under investigation for corruption.
Last week, a UN special committee investigating Israel’s war in Gaza said Israel’s policies displayed the characteristics of genocide and accused the country of “using starvation as a method of war” against Palestinian civilians in the territory.
Israel had inflicted “mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions” for Palestinians, the committee said.
“Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life – food, water, and fuel.”
Israel’s war on the territory has killed nearly 44 000 Palestinians and wounded more than 104 000 others.
-Additional reporting by Aljazeera.
-psiririka@nepc.com.na