Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC)

Profile

Country/TerritoryNetherlandsUnited States
Websitehttps://www.coalitionfortheicc.org/
Founded1995
In their own words“a global network of civil society organizations in 150 countries working in partnership to strengthen international cooperation with the ICC; ensure that the Court is fair, effective and independent; make justice both visible and universal; and advance stronger national laws that deliver justice to victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.”

Funding

Activities

Political Advocacy

  • CICC played an integral part in the establishment of the International Criminal Court, as well as securing extensive power for NGOs within the ICC framework.
    • A number of these NGOs regularly contribute to the international demonization and delegitimization of Israel and do not possess the requisite research methodology or military or legal expertise to make informed and reliable decisions.
  • The “Palestine” section of the CICC’s website features an account of the Arab-Israeli conflict that reflects a stunning ignorance of basic history and current events.
    • The Palestinian casualty figures cited by CICC are based on claims made by Hamas (not the “UN Refugee Agency” which does not have a presence in Gaza) and are highly disputed.
    • The summary states that “The death of two Palestinian teenagers and the subsequent abduction and death of three Israeli teenagers led to the launch of an Israeli military campaign into Gaza.” In the buildup to the 2014 Gaza war, one Arab teen from Jerusalem was murdered by Jewish extremists (on July 2, 2014), not two. This occurred after, not “subsequent” to the Hamas kidnapping and murder of the three Israeli teenagers (June 12, 2014). These events, while transpiring immediately prior to the war, were not the main catalyst for Israel’s launch of Operation Protective Edge in 2014. Rather, during the same period, Hamas and other terror groups launched hundreds of rockets and mortars fire from Gaza at Israeli civilian communities. At the same time, Israel discovered advanced terror tunnel infrastructure spanning from inside Gaza into Israeli sovereign territory.
  • In April 2020, CICC published a letter to the ICC calling for relevant actors to “demonstrate support for the ICC in the face of U.S. and Israeli attacks on the Rome system and international justice” and “cooperate with…any possible investigation into the situation in Palestine.”
  • In May 2018, CICC publicized on its website a call by civil society to the UN Human Rights Council to launch an “independent investigation into violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by Israel” in response to Gaza-border violence. The call accuses Israel of “excessive, indiscriminate and disproportionate use of lethal force… [that]  may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity” (emphasis added). The call ignored the violent nature of the protests, which included Molotov cocktails, arson, and attempts to breach the border fence with Israel.
  • In September 2017, CICC published a news article titled “Palestinian human rights orgs submit West Bank communication to ICC” that detailed a submission to the Prosecutor of the ICC by Al-Haq, Al Mezan, Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), and Al-Dameer alleging that “high-level Israeli civilian and military officials have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem.” According to the CICC, “the Palestinian human rights organisations provide evidence that shows that Israel persecutes the occupied Palestinian population and subjects them to the crimes of persecution and apartheid.”
  • In June 2017, CICC released a statement titled “Israel-Palestine: 50 years and counting” calling for “Israel and the international community to step up efforts to address ongoing human rights violations in the occupied territories, including by defending the ICC preliminary examination into both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict.” The statement referenced Amnesty International’scampaign for countries to prohibit settlement goods from their markets and to prevent companies from operating in settlements or trading in settlement goods.”
  • Together with Amnesty InternationalBroederlijk DelenChristian Aid, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Pax Christi Flanders, CICC issued a January 8, 2015 statement claiming that “Palestine’s accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a welcome move that will help deter war crimes and end impunity in the region, and should be supported by European countries.” The statement continues to assert that “The groups urge all actors, including Israel and the US to halt or rescind any retaliation measures against Palestine…”
  • Published a factsheet, titled “Palestine Joins the International Criminal Court,” stating “Israel should end its attempts to undermine the Court’s ability to function, take steps towards accepting ICC jurisdiction, and investigate allegations of the gravest crimes as set out in the Rome Statute and, if necessary, prosecute those responsible.”
  • Links to documents published by Amnesty InternationalHuman Rights WatchPalestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), and other highly biased and politicized NGOs that regularly demonize Israel. One such document, published by PCHR on June 22, 2015, calls on the UK to “Seek out and prosecute visiting war crimes suspect Shaul Mofaz.”

Advisory Board

Board MemberBackground
Justice Richard GoldstoneOversaw the discredited 2009 UN report bearing his name
Honorable Louise ArbourRecipient of the "Prize in International Justice and Human Rights" along with Justice Richard Goldstone; "welcomed" Article 2(3) of the Arab Charter of Human Rights. This charter equates Zionism to racism. 
Hina Jilani Member of the UN Fact Finding Mission in the 2009 Gaza Conflict, chaired by Goldstone. 
Dr. Sigrid RausingEmeritus member of the international board of Human Rights Watch (HRW); established the Sigrid Rausing Trust, which funds a number of highly biased and politicized NGOs active in the Arab-Israeli conflict. 
Prince Zeif Al-Hussein of Jordan UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Her Royal Highness Princess Mabel van OranjeExecutive Chair of the Board of European Council on Foreign Relations

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