Allegations leveled against Mossad’s pressure on ICC officials.
In a major development, investigative reports have alleged Israel led covert operations spanning years to influence International Criminal Court proceedings through its intelligence service Mossad. Between 2017-2021, then Mossad chief Yossi Cohen reportedly attempted to pressure former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda into abandoning a probe on war crimes in occupied Palestinian territories.
Cohen held clandestine meetings with Bensouda at global security forums, using threats to compromise her and her family’s security.
Mossad is also said to have gathered incriminating material on Bensouda’s kin in its pressure tactics. Despite this, the prosecutor did not buckle and announced her intent to investigate the situation, to which Cohen scaled up deterrence.
The allegations bring Israel’s decade-long push to discredit the ICC under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directives into sharp focus. While Bensouda’s successor Karim Khan has warned against intimidating ICC staff, legal experts affirm such conduct violates Article 70 of the Rome Statute on fair judicial proceedings.
While Israel has denied wrongdoing, the comprehensive reports substantiate long-whispered insinuations regarding its moves to evade accountability.
As the ICC proceeds with arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Hamas leaders, further clarity on the charges could arise. For now, the disclosures cast a shadow over the integrity of international redressal mechanisms.
