The complete idiot’s guide to Mideast peace – part 247

Hamas backs International Criminal Court bid | The Times of Israel  ‘Group’s support for Palestinian appeal to The Hague could subject Israel, and Hamas itself, to a war crimes probe’

If this matter is successful in being placed before the International Criminal Court, what might the probable outcome be of such a referral?

What if both Israel and Hamas were found to be guilty of war crimes? What would happen then?

Is there a penalty of some description to be paid? Would it be shared between the two sides and in what proportions ? Could it even be enforced if, as seems very likely, neither one would freely admit of any wrongdoing nor accept condemnation for whatever charges were levelled against it?

What punishment did the Goldstone Enquiry exact upon those it deemed responsible for war crimes? Was some truly massive fine levied? A no-fly zone imposed? An international embargo on the supply of weapons and all their support systems? A severe reprimand administered?

As far as I can recall, no such actions were taken nor were any contemplated. All that seems to have happened was the handing down of a verdict in a report which was immediately attacked for being unbalanced, biased and unsound. It was eventually retracted in part by Richard Goldstone himself and thus its findings became largely irrelevant from then on.

Will any final judgement by the ICC have a lasting impact on subsequent events? Or will its verdict simply be shrugged off with the same air of indifference shown to all previous deliberations on the subject?

If it should turn out to be the latter, then where does the fault lie? Is it with the Court, the accusers or the defendants?

Since accusers and defendants are expected to react in much the same manner as always, then it may be that the system of adjudication has to be ‘modified’ and its retribution methods upgraded for easier application.

www.laxiankey.com  – ‘ for those with better things to do.’

Unbalanced, biased, unsound; this solution might have all these failings and more but, even so, in a world where many ‘solutions’ have already been tried and come to nothing, it may now be the only way out for us all.