Israeli NGO seeks US prosecution of Amal Clooney over ICC Netanyahu arrest warrant

An Israeli NGO is urging US Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Amal Clooney over the assistance she gave to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in bringing a case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to right-wing Israeli NGO Shurat HaDin, the British-Lebanese human rights lawyer – wife of Hollywood superstar George Clooney – has allegedly broken US federal law by participating in the “investigative actions” against Netanyahu for war crimes while on American soil.

Shurat HaDin, which maintains close links to the Israeli security and intelligence services, wrote a letter to Garland, claiming Clooney had violated the federal American Service-Members’ Protection Act, known informally as The Hague Invasion Act.

The act prohibits agents of the ICC, of which the US is not a member, from conducting investigations on behalf of the court.

“The American law is extremely clear: no agent of the ICC can operate or assist in ICC investigative actions against Americans or their allies while residing in the US,” wrote Shurat HaDin president Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, as reported by Ynet.

“As President Biden stated, it is outrageous that this biased court in The Hague would attempt to prosecute Israeli officials as they battle the Hamas murderers, rapists and terror gangs in Gaza,” she added.

Shurat HaDin’s case rests on the fact that Amal Clooney, who resides in the US, publicly discussed her involvement in the ICC’s investigative forum and “boasted” about her efforts to incriminate the two Israeli leaders.

The action by the Israeli NGO is unlikely to be taken seriously by the US Attorney General. However, it could be seen as part of a wider formal and informal campaign by Israel and its allies to attack and intimidate those who seek to hold it to account for its war on Gaza.

Before requesting the arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas leaders in May, Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, gave a speech in which he hinted that the court was coming under pressure from Israel and possibly the US.

“I insist that all attempts to impede, intimidate or improperly influence the officials of this court must cease immediately,” Khan said.