Arab League Secretary General Calls for ‘Special Criminal Court’ for Israel

Outgoing Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Arabi called for a special criminal court to be established for Israel, reported Agence France Presse.

The call for a special criminal court, in the same vein as ones set up for Serbian war crimes, is needed to ensure Israel is no longer “above the law and accountability”, said El-Arabi at the Arab League’s emergency meeting in Cairo.

El-Arabi raised the issue during an emergency meeting held to discuss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statements that the Golan Heights would remain in Israeli control “forever”. The Golan Heights were captured by Israel during the 1967 war and annexed in 1981. Internationally, the Golan Heights continue to be recognized solely as Syrian.

Following the Israeli Prime Minister’s controversial calls, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said that it would be a violation of the principles of international law and numerous UN resolutions passed in both the Security Council and the General Assembly. In a similar vein, the United States of America said that it does not recognize the Golan Heights to be part of Israel.

Taking a harsher stance, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the Arab League in Cairo said that Israel, a “Zionist entity”, is attempting to “exploit years of conflict in Syria”.

Nevertheless, Israel remains steadfast, with the Israeli Prime Minister recently telling the Russian President that the Golan Heights is a “red line” and must remain a part of Israel.

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