The International Criminal Court has just issued arrest warrants for war criminals Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including starvation, murder, and persecution on the grounds of political and/or national identity.

Interestingly in contradiction to Germany’s repeated denials, the court found that “the alleged crimes against humanity were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza.”

The panel of judges found reasonable grounds to believe that their actions were calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza – itself a component of the crime of genocide.

This comes after 410 days of genocide in Gaza and almost two months of war on Lebanon. It comes 335,000 Palestinian and 3,558 Lebanese victims too late.

German politicians, journalists, and others have been denying this reality for almost 14 months and have doubled down ever harder on their commitment to a genocidal regime. Can their resolve stand in the face of mounting evidence and international pressure?

Germany itself is currently under trial at the ICJ for aiding and abetting israel’s genocide in Gaza, while it still proudly extends its genocidal past into the present. Germany provides around 30% of Israel’s weapons imports, as well as strong diplomatic and political support -including intervening in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

While the ICC’s decision today is a push in the right direction, we shouldn’t labor under the illusion that the fight will be won in The Hague. International Law has consistently failed Palestinians. israel has been granted impunity for decades, under the powerful protection of the US empire and to a lesser extent Germany, the UK, and other former colonial powers. The ICC is part of this inherently colonial system, and retains its biases.

Without justice, there can be no peace. Peace is not simply the absense of bombing. Peace cannot be negotiated between colonizer and colonized. [What does this previous sentence mean? negotiation is a broad term] Peace without justice is hollow, merely the preservation of the violent status quo with less visible bloodshed.

We need

• an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, in Gaza and in Lebanon
• an arms embargo on israel
• an end to the occupation
• true accountability
• the implementation of the right of return
• the rebuilding of Gaza, the rest of Palestine, Lebanon, and all other places destroyed by israel

Only when justice is served, can there be true, substantial peace.