Al Jazeera Wonders How Putin Evades ICC, Forgets Netanyahu Cleared The Path
The story focuses on the logistical 'how' of Putin's travel, meticulously detailing the international legal maze. Yet, it skirts a far more salient 'how': how Benjamin Netanyahu, another ICC warrant target regarding Gaza (as of May 20, 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan stated intent to seek warrants), routinely travels the globe unmolested, meeting world leaders and addressing legislative bodies
like the US Congress (October 2024). The same week Netanyahu received his invitation to the US Congress, the ICC announced it was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. No questions from the press on *his* travel logistics, just red-carpet welcomes. One might wonder if the concern over ICC warrants only applies to leaders deemed adversarial, while leaders of 'allies' receive a diplomatic
immunity blanket woven from geopolitical convenience. The answer is obvious, of course. Putin is a villain for the cameras; Netanyahu, despite the ICC’s own findings, is simply 'complicated.' How many international laws must favored leaders ignore before their travel raises the same breathless questions?