ICC Chief Prosecutor: We must show that the law protects all

Karim Khan finishes his first visit to Israel and the West Bank.

Khan, who arrived Thursday on an unofficial and unannounced visit, said, "I have just concluded my first visit to Israel and the State of Palestine. During this mission, I had a simple message: my Office is here to ensure that the protection of the law is felt by all."

He said he was "grateful for the warmth and openness shown by all those I met with during this visit. The clarity, compassion and courage that victims, in particular, in both Israel and Palestine, demonstrated in explaining their experiences were deeply impactful.  While not investigative in nature, this mission allowed me to listen to their accounts and deepen my understanding of what they experienced."

Khan explained that his "visit to Israel was conducted at the request of family members and friends of Israeli citizens who were either killed or taken hostage by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups on 7 October 2023."  

Next, he said that during his visits to both Kibbutz Be'eri and Kibbutz Kfar Azza, as well as at the site of the Nova Music Festival in Re'im, "I witnessed scenes of calculated cruelty. The attacks against innocent Israeli civilians on 7 October represent some of the most serious international crimes that shock the conscience of humanity, crimes which the ICC was established to address."

The readers of the JPost have problems with the ICC visiting the "State of Palestine" ...

Khan's earlier visit to the Rafah crossing and press briefing in Cairo.

Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan KC from Cairo on the situation in the State of Palestine and Israel