Israel has always stood as a beacon of democracy and freedom in the Middle East, a nation born from struggle and committed to upholding the highest moral standards. But in a world where terror thrives and global institutions falter, it is clear that adhering to morality does not guarantee justice. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has now made it unmistakably clear: It targets not the true perpetrators of war crimes, but those who dare to defend their people and values.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a massacre of unimaginable brutality. More than 1,200 Israelis were slaughtered — men, women, children and infants — while the world watched in horror. These acts of terror were not isolated; they were deliberate, systematic and barbaric.
Yet instead of focusing on the real criminals, the ICC has chosen to target Israeli leaders — those who act to prevent such atrocities from happening again. The ICC’s actions are nothing less than a betrayal of the very principles it claims to uphold.
While rogue states and terror organizations murder, oppress and spread chaos, the ICC looks the other way. Its focus on Israel — one of the few nations that adheres to the laws of war even when facing an enemy that exploits those laws — reveals not a pursuit of justice, but a fear of confronting true evil.
Israel’s military is renowned for going to unprecedented lengths to minimize harm to civilians, even when Hamas uses human shields and hides its weapons in schools and hospitals. No other nation would exercise such restraint under similar circumstances.
Yet the ICC treats this adherence to moral and legal standards not as evidence of responsibility, but as a pretext to issue politically motivated indictments. This hypocrisy sends a chilling message: Tyrants and terrorists who trample on international law have little to fear, while democracies that uphold it are vilified.
The atrocities of Oct. 7 should have been a moral turning point for the international community. Instead, the ICC’s indictment of Israeli leaders betrays the values that the free world is supposed to defend.
By attempting to equate Israel’s fight for survival with the actions of genocidal terrorists, the ICC undermines its credibility and emboldens those who thrive on destruction and chaos.
Let us be clear: Israel does not fight for recognition or approval. It fights for its survival and for the values that underpin the free world — freedom, democracy and human dignity. These are the values that Hamas and its backers, including Iran, seek to destroy.
Israel has always adhered to the highest standards of international law, not because it seeks validation from global institutions, but because it is the right thing to do. The ICC’s hypocrisy will not deter Israel from holding itself to those standards. However, Israel will also not allow its enemies to weaponize those same laws against it.
The ICC’s actions serve as a reminder of the free world’s moral collapse. Rather than confronting the true threats to global peace, the ICC and other international bodies have chosen the easier path: attacking those who fight to preserve the very freedoms they claim to cherish.
Throughout history, Israel and the Jewish people have often stood alone against overwhelming odds. They have stood alone against ancient empires, against Nazi Germany and now against jihadist terror. But they stood — and prevailed.
Today, as Israel faces an onslaught of rockets, terror tunnels and global hypocrisy, it continues to defend not just its people, but the ideals of freedom and justice.
The ICC can issue as many baseless indictments as it pleases, but Israel will not be swayed. It will continue to fight terror, protect its citizens and uphold the values that the free world so desperately needs.
Because without Israel standing firm, the free world stands no chance.
Dan Illouz is a member of Israel’s Knesset.
