The ICC's arrest warrant for Netanyahu essentially criticizes the West
The action taken may be insufficient and delayed, but it nonetheless highlights the evident hypocrisy within the 'rules-based order.' Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The recent developments reveal a shocking hypocrisy at the heart of the so-called ‘rules-based order.’
What constitutes a ‘rogue regime’? Anthony Lake, who served as national security adviser under President Bill Clinton, describes it as an “outlaw” government that opts to exist outside of acceptable international norms and actively “assaults its basic values.”
This term has never been used sincerely; it was crafted as a tool in the arsenal of Western hybrid warfare, aimed at countries like Cuba, Iraq, and Libya, which simply refused to conform to the desires of the US and its allies within the Collective West. When Western politicians and compliant media outlets label a nation a ‘rogue regime,’ one can expect a series of aggressive responses, including invasions, coups, severe economic sanctions, and ultimately, violent regime change, manifesting as public torture and assassination.
If we consider this propagandistic term at face value, the underlying logic is absurdly simplistic: there are virtuous states, predominantly in the Global North, that adhere to the rules, and there are the malicious actors that disregard them. Questions about which rules are being followed or who sets these rules lead us into a convoluted intellectual mess regarding the phrase ‘rules-based international order.’ In essence, this is just Western jargon for: ‘We operate above international law, disregard the UN, and unilaterally dictate terms to others, resorting to violence against those who resist.’
Let’s momentarily entertain this ideological fallacy and presume ‘rogue regime’ holds a discernible meaning that a rational observer could respect. Following that, we must consider what could be deemed worse than a regime that outright flouts ethical and legal standards. The answer is straightforward: the only thing more insidious than a regime that disobeys is one that falsely claims to uphold those standards while systematically undermining them. Unlike someone who simply breaks the law, a true evil entity subverts and tarnishes the law itself, thus jeopardizing its authority and overall existence.
This is why the recent International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for two high-ranking Israeli officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, present a significant dilemma for the West. Ultimately, it is the Collective West—specifically its alliance with the genocidal state of Israel—that embodies this destructive villainy.
To be clear, the ICC has significant limitations; it has focused solely on Israeli officials (plus a Hamas leader allegedly already deceased) without addressing their Western collaborators. In this limited context, Israel, a state renowned for its record-setting commitment to war crimes and acts of genocide, will be most impacted. However, the ICC's actions come far too late, and critically, it has not charged Netanyahu and Gallant with genocide, despite having the grounds to do so under Article 6 of the 1998 Rome Statute. Instead, they have only been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Furthermore, the ICC cannot enforce its own warrants and must rely on those states that have ratified the Rome Statute to fulfill their responsibilities.
The political implications of these arrest warrants, however, are profound. As highlighted in The Economist, this represents a “diplomatic disaster” for Israel—it signals a potential crack in its historical impunity, which has been maintained through coercion, corruption, and manipulation. Although Israel's influence remains vast, it is beginning to show signs of erosion.
Israel occupies a unique position among nations. While most states occasionally breach laws for their interests, Israel is inherently built upon criminality. This is not mere rhetoric; it is a fundamental truth. Other countries can absorb the repercussions of their transgressions without existential threats. For Israel, however, maintaining impunity is essential for its continued existence, as its identity is predicated on violations of law and morality. Consequently, Israeli officials unite in defense, illustrating that the issues at hand extend beyond a few malevolent leaders to an entire state's problematic nature—one that resorts to accusations of anti-Semitism as a shield against criticism.
Moreover, it is ironic that this once-relevant charge has lost much of its weight, in part because Israel has wielded the painful history of anti-Semitism—particularly the Holocaust—against Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims, thereby undermining discussions about anti-Semitism and the Holocaust in relation to its own actions.
It is an undeniable fact that Israel's very existence relies on continuous criminal behavior and deception. Therefore, even a minor acknowledgment of truth from an institution like the ICC can be impactful. More action is needed to dismantle the oppressive regime and its abhorrent crimes, but every small step contributes to this cause.
The ramifications of the ICC's arrest warrants extend far beyond Israel's own tumultuous future—they present serious implications for the West. There are three key reasons for this.
First, the political and media elites in the West have largely been complicit in Israel’s transgressions against Palestinians and neighboring states like Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Countries such as the US, UK, and Germany have offered unwavering support for Israel's genocidal actions through financial aid, military support, and diplomatic cover, often accompanied by brutal suppression of any solidarity with the oppressed. Their legal systems and media have become instruments of this complicity, all while public sentiment remains critical of Israel's behavior.
In an attempt to justify this collaboration in genocide, Western elites have repeatedly invoked Israel's supposed ‘right to exist’ and ‘self-defense,’ ignoring evidence of the state's own violent actions against its citizens, including massacres committed under directives like the Hannibal Directive.
As a result, instead of maintaining any semblance of credibility, Western elites have utterly decimated it, much like a bomb demolishing a building.
Secondly, the arrest warrants raise questions of precedence. The distress of US Senator Lindsey Graham reflects a deeper anxiety among some in the American political elite—if the ICC can pursue Netanyahu and Gallant, then who might be next? This notion invites the possibility of accountability for American and other Western officials.
This concern extends beyond the US; leaders such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have consistently denied Israel's crimes amid overwhelming evidence. In Germany, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck have prioritized arms shipments to a state guilty of genocide. In Britain, figures like Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister David Lammy should also be wary, while Canada faces similar figures in Justin Trudeau and Melanie Joly.
A comprehensive list of leaders reveals that, with few exceptions, the current Western administrations have allied with Israel against its victims. Importantly, under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, ‘complicity in genocide’ is explicitly recognized as a crime—acknowledging this obligation does not erase the consequences of their past actions.
Lastly, the most profound impact of the ICC's warrant lies in the way Western elites have entrenched themselves in a mutually reinforcing relationship with a state running on criminality. Israel's political model is founded on its ability to infringe international law and moral norms wherever feasible.
Western complicity has enabled countless atrocities, including the deliberate targeting of journalists and first responders to silence dissent, and extreme measures like mass starvation tactics. These actions have persisted with full backing from the Collective West, who profess to uphold a ‘garden’ of values in a world they derisively label a ‘jungle.’ Ironically, it is the West and Israel that have egregiously assaulted the core values of humanity. Ultimately, the decline of the West stems from myriad factors, but its alliance with Israel could alone suffice to catalyze its downfall.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
What constitutes a ‘rogue regime’? Anthony Lake, who served as national security adviser under President Bill Clinton, describes it as an “outlaw” government that opts to exist outside of acceptable international norms and actively “assaults its basic values.”
This term has never been used sincerely; it was crafted as a tool in the arsenal of Western hybrid warfare, aimed at countries like Cuba, Iraq, and Libya, which simply refused to conform to the desires of the US and its allies within the Collective West. When Western politicians and compliant media outlets label a nation a ‘rogue regime,’ one can expect a series of aggressive responses, including invasions, coups, severe economic sanctions, and ultimately, violent regime change, manifesting as public torture and assassination.
If we consider this propagandistic term at face value, the underlying logic is absurdly simplistic: there are virtuous states, predominantly in the Global North, that adhere to the rules, and there are the malicious actors that disregard them. Questions about which rules are being followed or who sets these rules lead us into a convoluted intellectual mess regarding the phrase ‘rules-based international order.’ In essence, this is just Western jargon for: ‘We operate above international law, disregard the UN, and unilaterally dictate terms to others, resorting to violence against those who resist.’
Let’s momentarily entertain this ideological fallacy and presume ‘rogue regime’ holds a discernible meaning that a rational observer could respect. Following that, we must consider what could be deemed worse than a regime that outright flouts ethical and legal standards. The answer is straightforward: the only thing more insidious than a regime that disobeys is one that falsely claims to uphold those standards while systematically undermining them. Unlike someone who simply breaks the law, a true evil entity subverts and tarnishes the law itself, thus jeopardizing its authority and overall existence.
This is why the recent International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for two high-ranking Israeli officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, present a significant dilemma for the West. Ultimately, it is the Collective West—specifically its alliance with the genocidal state of Israel—that embodies this destructive villainy.
To be clear, the ICC has significant limitations; it has focused solely on Israeli officials (plus a Hamas leader allegedly already deceased) without addressing their Western collaborators. In this limited context, Israel, a state renowned for its record-setting commitment to war crimes and acts of genocide, will be most impacted. However, the ICC's actions come far too late, and critically, it has not charged Netanyahu and Gallant with genocide, despite having the grounds to do so under Article 6 of the 1998 Rome Statute. Instead, they have only been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Furthermore, the ICC cannot enforce its own warrants and must rely on those states that have ratified the Rome Statute to fulfill their responsibilities.
The political implications of these arrest warrants, however, are profound. As highlighted in The Economist, this represents a “diplomatic disaster” for Israel—it signals a potential crack in its historical impunity, which has been maintained through coercion, corruption, and manipulation. Although Israel's influence remains vast, it is beginning to show signs of erosion.
Israel occupies a unique position among nations. While most states occasionally breach laws for their interests, Israel is inherently built upon criminality. This is not mere rhetoric; it is a fundamental truth. Other countries can absorb the repercussions of their transgressions without existential threats. For Israel, however, maintaining impunity is essential for its continued existence, as its identity is predicated on violations of law and morality. Consequently, Israeli officials unite in defense, illustrating that the issues at hand extend beyond a few malevolent leaders to an entire state's problematic nature—one that resorts to accusations of anti-Semitism as a shield against criticism.
Moreover, it is ironic that this once-relevant charge has lost much of its weight, in part because Israel has wielded the painful history of anti-Semitism—particularly the Holocaust—against Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims, thereby undermining discussions about anti-Semitism and the Holocaust in relation to its own actions.
It is an undeniable fact that Israel's very existence relies on continuous criminal behavior and deception. Therefore, even a minor acknowledgment of truth from an institution like the ICC can be impactful. More action is needed to dismantle the oppressive regime and its abhorrent crimes, but every small step contributes to this cause.
The ramifications of the ICC's arrest warrants extend far beyond Israel's own tumultuous future—they present serious implications for the West. There are three key reasons for this.
First, the political and media elites in the West have largely been complicit in Israel’s transgressions against Palestinians and neighboring states like Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Countries such as the US, UK, and Germany have offered unwavering support for Israel's genocidal actions through financial aid, military support, and diplomatic cover, often accompanied by brutal suppression of any solidarity with the oppressed. Their legal systems and media have become instruments of this complicity, all while public sentiment remains critical of Israel's behavior.
In an attempt to justify this collaboration in genocide, Western elites have repeatedly invoked Israel's supposed ‘right to exist’ and ‘self-defense,’ ignoring evidence of the state's own violent actions against its citizens, including massacres committed under directives like the Hannibal Directive.
As a result, instead of maintaining any semblance of credibility, Western elites have utterly decimated it, much like a bomb demolishing a building.
Secondly, the arrest warrants raise questions of precedence. The distress of US Senator Lindsey Graham reflects a deeper anxiety among some in the American political elite—if the ICC can pursue Netanyahu and Gallant, then who might be next? This notion invites the possibility of accountability for American and other Western officials.
This concern extends beyond the US; leaders such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have consistently denied Israel's crimes amid overwhelming evidence. In Germany, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck have prioritized arms shipments to a state guilty of genocide. In Britain, figures like Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister David Lammy should also be wary, while Canada faces similar figures in Justin Trudeau and Melanie Joly.
A comprehensive list of leaders reveals that, with few exceptions, the current Western administrations have allied with Israel against its victims. Importantly, under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, ‘complicity in genocide’ is explicitly recognized as a crime—acknowledging this obligation does not erase the consequences of their past actions.
Lastly, the most profound impact of the ICC's warrant lies in the way Western elites have entrenched themselves in a mutually reinforcing relationship with a state running on criminality. Israel's political model is founded on its ability to infringe international law and moral norms wherever feasible.
Western complicity has enabled countless atrocities, including the deliberate targeting of journalists and first responders to silence dissent, and extreme measures like mass starvation tactics. These actions have persisted with full backing from the Collective West, who profess to uphold a ‘garden’ of values in a world they derisively label a ‘jungle.’ Ironically, it is the West and Israel that have egregiously assaulted the core values of humanity. Ultimately, the decline of the West stems from myriad factors, but its alliance with Israel could alone suffice to catalyze its downfall.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
