Standing With Israel at the ICC

The world is watching.

We're engaged in a vital case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) with ramifications that will be felt here at home - in the United States.

I presented arguments to the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC in defense of Israel - standing up for our most important ally in the Middle East.  It was quite an experience.  We were joined in court by some 30 legal organizations - all underscoring the grave consequences at issue here.

Heres whats happening: The Palestinian Authority not even a legal nation has demanded a hearing at the ICC.

They are wrongly accusing Israeli soldiers of committing war crimes - simply for defending their nation against Hamas terrorists. 

But this case doesnt stop there. If the ICC agrees with the Palestinian Authority, it will be an extreme breach of Israels national sovereignty.  And it will mean that the ICC could claim authority over any nation, including the United States. 

We put forward a detailed, sophisticated legal analysis that went very, very well.  We believe in the rule of law and that was evident in our presentation before the court.  It is clear that if the ICC takes jurisdiction over Israeli soldiers, there's nothing to prevent the court from gaining jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers - and others - who stand up to the world's terrorists.

The preparation for this presentation was intense and thorough - not unlike that of a Supreme Court case.  Of course, the stakes are just as high - this time on a global scale.  The presentation lasted nearly two hours - longer than anticipated.  And, it's fair to say that our arguments sent an important message. 

We have a very talented legal team working on this case - attorneys from our offices in Washington, D.C., New York City, Jerusalem, and our European offices as well.  We've posted some photos of our legal team at the ICC here.

While this case focuses specifically on the rights of Israeli soldiers to defend their nation - it also centers on the right of every free nation to stop terrorists.  This is about national sovereignty and protecting the rights of Israelis and Americans, too.

It was quite a presentation - made possible only by your prayers and support. We could not have done this without you.

I will keep you posted on this most important case.