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International Justice Denied

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Is this the end of the road for the International Criminal Court? Yesterday's announcement by Russia that it was formally withdrawing its signature from the ICC's founding Rome statute of 1998 came weeks after similar moves from South Africa, Burundi and Gambia — Now add to that a warning today from Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte that he might follow Moscow out the door, and it starts to look like the global justice body is bound to never gain the legitimacy it needs to survive.

Of course, much is being said about the timing of Moscow's decision, amid reports it might be investigated over its actions in Syria and Ukraine. Still, the fact that Russia never ratified the treaty it signed in 2000 meant it was already out of the ICC's reach.

Same holds for China, which never even signed the treaty, and the U.S., which also withdrew without ratifying 14 years ago.

Thus the core weakness of the ICC seems to only deepen: How can a court be respected if the most powerful are untouchable? The announcement last summer that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair wouldn't be prosecuted for war crimes, despite incriminating evidence, but that British soldiers who were deployed to Iraq under Blair's tenure might be, only reinforced the sentiment that Western leaders were above the law.

Though its founding mission may have been noble, the ICC risks being one more global body that fuels local resentments.

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FOCUS: Israel-Palestine War

Make No Mistake, Israel Is Ready To Restart This War

The Israel-Hamas temporary ceasefire may not end today, but it will end. But when the war in Gaza resumes, the Israeli offensive against Hamas may be different.

photo of ​Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with IDF troops on Sunday

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with IDF troops on Sunday

Gallant/Instagram
Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

PARIS — It's been six days since the war between Israel and Hamas was put on hold. And yet, no conditions have been met for this truce to become a formal ceasefire.

Indeed, there are no serious proposals on the table for a more lasting solution, and the truce has failed to address any issues beyond the release of hostages.

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Thus the question we're facing is when the Israeli government will decide to resume its military operations in Gaza: tomorrow, when the two-day truce expires? Or after a new extension to allow the release of hostages, men included this time? The bosses of the CIA and Mossad are busy in Qatar trying to negotiate this point.

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