#+972 magazine

[fiercynn]

Despite numerous protests from the Palestinian side, the Paris Agreements signed in 1994 continue to constitute the framework for the main economic agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, including the Gaza Strip. Israel controls the customs regime, thus there is no import duty on goods imported from Israel to the occupied territories, while there is on goods imported from abroad. International aid organizations are required to provide humanitarian aid in the most efficient way possible. They must purchase the cheapest food available to aid the greatest number of people within their budget. Though food is cheaper in Jordan and Egypt, food imports from Jordan and Egypt to the occupied Palestinian territory are taxed. The taxes, in principle, go to the PA coffers, but this cannot be a consideration for the aid organizations. Instead, they are required to purchase most of the goods they distribute from Israeli companies, unless importation from another country, including import taxes, will still be cheaper than the price in Israel. Additionally, Israeli security regulations require aid organizations to use Israeli transportation companies and vehicles, since Palestinian companies are not allowed to enter Israel to pick up goods from airports or sea-ports. Even more significant is the fact that the Palestinians do not have their own currency or central bank: financial assistance must be given in New Israeli Shekels. The foreign currency remains in the Bank of Israel, and Israeli commercial banks collect numerous service charges along the way. What this means, in fact, is that Israel exports the occupation: as long as the international community is willing to contribute financially to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israeli companies continue to supply them with goods and services and receive payment in foreign currency. [x]

- shir hever for +972 magazine on march 2, 2018

[sanguinosa-blog]

Israeli teen jailed for refusing draft: ‘I’m willing to pay a price for my principles’

Ben Arad, 18, is the third conscientious objector imprisoned since October 7. He tells +972 why Israel’s assault on Gaza propelled him into action. By Oren Ziv April 5, 2024

“Since the war began, I understood that I have an obligation to make my voice heard, and to call for an end to the cycle of violence.” These were the words of Ben Arad, an 18-year-old Israeli conscientious objector, shortly before he reported to the Israeli army’s recruitment center near Tel Aviv on April 1 and declared his refusal to enlist in mandatory military service, in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and the long-standing occupation. 

Arad is the third Israeli teenager to publicly refuse the draft for political reasons since October 7, and was tried and sentenced to an initial 20 days in military prison. He follows Tal Mitnick, who has served 105 days in prison across three sentences, and Sofia Orr, who has served 40 days in prison across two sentences — neither of whom have yet been exempted from military service, meaning they may still be sentenced to further stints in prison.

Born in Ramat Hasharon not far from Tel Aviv, Arad has spent the past few months volunteering at Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh in the Negev/Naqab desert, where he worked with youth from the kibbutz and in schools in the nearby Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj. Like many other Israeli teens completing what is known as a “year of service” before the army this year, Arad was informed that the program had been cut short due to the war, and that he would therefore have to enlist in the army in April rather than December. 

In an interview with +972 Magazine and Local Call prior to his sentencing, Arad explained that he never defined himself as an “activist” until now, and that watching Israel’s destruction of the Gaza Strip — which he described as “an unprecedented murder campaign not only against Hamas but against the entire Palestinian people” — convinced him of the need to refuse. 

“The killing of civilians in Gaza, the hunger, the disease, the destruction of property, [in addition to] settlers’ crimes in the occupied territories — they all add fuel to the flame of hatred and terror,” he said. “Fighting will not bring back the hostages. It will not resurrect the dead. It will not liberate the Gazans from Hamas’ control, and it will not bring peace.”

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

[lordzannis]

Based on the search results provided, here are some reputable media sources that cover the ongoing conflict in Palestine, including perspectives from Israeli and Palestinian anti-Zionists, while exhibiting principles like honesty, accuracy, experienced journalists, robust reporting, editorial independence, transparency, and accountability:

Al Jazeera: The search results highlight Al Jazeera's coverage of the situation in Gaza, including interviews with Israeli anti-Zionist activists who are calling for an end to the violence and what they view as collective punishment and genocide against Palestinians.[4] Al Jazeera is known for its experienced journalists and robust reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

+972 Magazine: Mentioned in the search results, +972 Magazine is an independent Israeli-Palestinian publication that provides in-depth reporting and analysis from journalists on the ground. It aims to amplify voices critical of the occupation and Zionism.[1]

Truthout: Several articles from Truthout are cited, offering perspectives from Palestinian writers and critics of Israel's policies and actions in Gaza, which some characterize as genocide.[1] Truthout is a non-profit news outlet known for its independent journalism.

Democracy Now!: The search results reference an interview on Democracy Now! with Israeli journalist Amira Hass, who has been critical of Israel's actions in Gaza.[1] Democracy Now! is a respected independent news program known for its in-depth coverage of underreported issues.

The Washington Post: An article by Karen Attiah in The Washington Post is cited, providing historical context on the colonial history of Israel-Palestine.[1] While a mainstream source, The Washington Post has experienced journalists who cover the conflict.

It's important to note that the search results also highlight the need for more diverse voices and perspectives within the media landscape covering this issue, particularly from Palestinian and anti-Zionist viewpoints.

Additionally, the results emphasize the importance of accurately portraying the historical context, acknowledging the Palestinian narrative of the Nakba, and avoiding dehumanizing language or propaganda when reporting on the conflict.

While no news source is perfect, the ones mentioned strive to uphold journalistic principles like editorial independence, transparency, and accountability in their coverage of this complex and sensitive issue.

Based on the search results and the query, here are some reputable media sources that cover the ongoing conflict in Palestine while aiming to provide balanced perspectives and adhere to journalistic principles:

Independent News Organizations

Al Jazeera Al Jazeera offers extensive coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, often including perspectives from both Israeli and Palestinian voices, including anti-Zionist viewpoints[4]. They have experienced journalists on the ground and aim to provide robust reporting.

Democracy Now! This independent news program is known for featuring diverse voices, including Israeli and Palestinian peace activists and critics of both governments[4]. They strive for transparency and accountability in their reporting.

Traditional Media with Experienced Middle East Coverage

The Guardian The Guardian has a history of covering the conflict extensively, often including perspectives from Israeli and Palestinian activists and intellectuals[3]. They have experienced correspondents in the region and maintain editorial independence.

BBC While sometimes criticized, the BBC has decades of experience covering the conflict and aims for impartiality[3]. They have a strong presence in the region and provide in-depth analysis.

Israeli and Palestinian Sources

Haaretz An Israeli newspaper known for its liberal stance, Haaretz often features critical perspectives on Israeli government policies and includes Palestinian voices[2]. They have a reputation for editorial independence and investigative journalism.

+972 Magazine This online magazine features writing from Israeli and Palestinian journalists and activists, often providing critical perspectives on the conflict from both sides[1]. They focus on human rights and social justice issues.

The Intercept: This outlet has conducted analyses showing biases in major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post, which often skew coverage toward Israeli narratives. The Intercept aims to provide a more balanced view by highlighting these biases and offering alternative perspectives.

Key Considerations

When consuming media on this topic:

Seek out diverse sources, including those that challenge your existing views.

Look for reporting that includes on-the-ground perspectives from both Israelis and Palestinians.

Be aware of potential biases in all media sources and cross-reference information.

Pay attention to sources that provide context and historical background, not just current events.

Recognize that even reputable sources may have blind spots or face challenges in covering such a complex and sensitive issue[2].

Remember that no single source will provide a complete picture. It's important to engage with multiple perspectives while maintaining a critical eye towards all information presented.

Citations: [1] https://www.npr.org/2024/05/06/1196980771/israelis-and-palestinians-are-in-separate-media-realities [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_coverage_of_the_Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict [3] https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1296&context=honors_capstone [4] https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/op-ed/how-is-media-reporting-the-israel-palestine-conflict [5] https://www.cfr.org/event/covering-israel-hamas-war-view-journalists [6] https://theintercept.com/2024/01/09/newspapers-israel-palestine-bias-new-york-times/ [7] https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-fact-check-e829d1dddcc2dad0f5f99cf62ef353ad [8] https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/12/21/metas-broken-promises/systemic-censorship-palestine-content-instagram-and

[witchern]

i know it's hard to trust information right now, but if you're looking for sensible, on-the-ground reporting about israel + palestine from an independent organization, +972 magazine has been a truly incredible resource, especially this past week.

from their about page: "+972 Magazine is an independent, online, nonprofit magazine run by a group of Palestinian and Israeli journalists. Founded in 2010, our mission is to provide in-depth reporting, analysis, and opinions from the ground in Israel-Palestine. The name of the site is derived from the telephone country code that can be used to dial throughout Israel-Palestine."

some pieces of note:

israel's government has nothing to offer but revenge by orly noy

in this war, palestinians in israel are trapped between two painful realities by samah salaime

gaza's shock attack has terrified israelis. it should also unveil the context by haggai matar

thousands fleeing, a deadly explosion: my drive through gaza's escape route by mohammed zaanoun

[foxpunk]

Here is a link to the original full statement of Tal Mitnick posted to Twitter (X) on the 26th of December, 2023. Tal is an 18-year-old Israeli who is a conscientious objector refusing to serve in the IDF. While he isn't the first conscientious objector in IDF history by far, nor the only one currently openly refusing to serve in the IDF, he is the first to do so and receive jail time since October 7th and the "start" of Israel's genocide more than 80 days ago.

I feel it is morally and historically important for his words to be preserved and for everyone to have the option to read his statement. However, even with the new year having passed, I have not been able to find a version of it with a full transcription of the images from the original tweet - through ALT text or plain text - and so I have transcribed it below.

"There is no military solution - a statement of refusal

This land has a problem - there are two nations with an undeniable connection to this place. But even with all the violence in the world, we could not erase the Palestinian people or their connection to this land, just as the Jewish people or our connection to the same land cannot be erased. The problem here is supremacy, the belief that this land belongs to only one people. Violence cannot solve the situation, neither by Hamas, nor by Israel. There is no military solution to a political problem. Therefore, I refuse to enlist in an army that believes that the real problem can be ignored, under a government that only continues the bereavement and pain.

On the seventh of October, Israeli society experienced a trauma the likes of which was not known in the history of the country. In a terrible invasion, the terrorist organization Hamas murdered hundreds of innocent civilians and kidnapped hundreds more, families were murdered in their homes, young people were massacred during a rave and 240 people were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip. After the terrorist attack, a revenge campaign began not only against Hamas, but against all Palestinian people. Indiscriminate bombings of residential neighborhoods and refugee camps in Gaza, full military and political support for settler violence in the West Bank, and political persecution on an unprecedented scale inside Israel. The reality we live in is a violent one. According to Hamas and also according to the IDF and the political echelon, violence is the only way. Continuing this cycle: "an eye for an eye" without thinking about an actual solution that would provide security and freedom to us all, only leads to more killing and suffering.

I refuse to believe that more violence will bring security, I refuse to take part in a war of revenge. I grew up in a home where life is sacred, where discussion is valued, where discourse and understanding always come before taking violent measures. In the world full of corrupt interests in which we live, violence and war are another way to increase support for the government and silence criticism. We must recognize the fact that after weeks of the ground operation in Gaza, at the end of the day - negotiations, an agreement, brought back the hostages. It was actually military action that caused them to be killed. Because of the criminal lie that "there are no innocent civilians in Gaza", even hostages waving a white flag shouting in Hebrew were shot to death. I don't want to imagine how many similar cases there were that were not investigated because the victims were born on the wrong side of the fence. The people who said "no negotiations with Hamas" were simply wrong. Period. Diplomacy, political effort, and policy change are the only way to prevent further destruction and death on both sides.

The violence that the army uses and has used over the years does not protect us. The cycle of violence is indeed a cycle - the violence of the army, like that of any army, produces more blood. In practice, it is nothing more than an army of occupation and its maintenance. At the moment of truth it has abandoned the residents of the south and the entire country. It is important to distinguish between the ordinary people and the generals and self serving people who sit at the head of the system: none of the ordinary people decided to fund Hamas, none of us chose to perpetuate the occupation, and none of us decided to move troops to the West Bank days before the invasion, because settlers decided to build a Sukkah in Huwara. And now, after a long-standing policy that was always destined to explode, we are the ones who are sent to kill and be killed in Gaza. We are not sent to fight for peace, but in the name of revenge. I decided to refuse to enlist before the war, but since it started, I am only more and more sure of my decision.

Before the war, the army guarded settlements, maintained the murderous siege on the Gaza Strip, and upheld the status quo of the apartheid and Jewish supremacy in the land between the Jordan and the sea. Since the outbreak of the war, we have not seen any call for a real policy change in the West Bank and Gaza, for an end to the widespread oppression of the Palestinian people and the bloodshed, or for a just peace. We are seeing the opposite: the deepening of oppression, the spreading of hatred, and the expansion of the fascist political persecution within Israel.

The change will not come from the corrupt politicians here, or from the leaders of Hamas, who are corrupt as well. It will come from us - the people of the two nations. I believe wholeheartedly that the Palestinian people are not an evil people. Just like here, where the vast majority of people want to live a good and safe life, have a place for their children to play after school, and to make ends meet at the end of the month, so do Palestinians. On the eve of the seventh of October, support for Hamas in Gaza was at a low of 26%. Since the outbreak of violence, it has grown significantly stronger. In order to change, an alternative must be put in place, an alternative to Hamas, and an alternative to the militaristic society in which we live. This change will come when we recognize the suffering of the Palestinian people over the years, and that this suffering is the result of Israeli policy. Along with recognition must also come justice, correction, and the construction of a political infrastructure based on peace, freedom and equality. I do not want to take part in the continuation of the oppression and the continuation of the cycle of bloodshed, but to work directly for a solution, and therefore I refuse. I love this country and the people here, because it is my home. I sacrifice and work so that this land will be one that respects others, one where you can live with dignity.

Tal Mitnick, 26.12.2023"

[n0thingiscool]

And then there's the Bedouin People no one's covering in the IDF/Hamas News

"Wahid al-Huzail is exhausted. For the past two months, the 51-year-old has been leading the Negev Bedouin Casualty Forum, a newly-formed NGO that was set up to support the families of Arab Bedouin citizens of Israel who were killed, wounded, or kidnapped during the Hamas-led October 7 assault. For all the extensive coverage in Israeli and international media on the plight of the hostages in Gaza and the communities most affected by the massacres, these victims have largely been forgotten. Seventeen Bedouin citizens from the Naqab (Negev) desert were killed that day, both as a result of rockets fired from Gaza and after being shot by militants who breached the fence that encages the Strip. A further six Bedouins were kidnapped and taken to Gaza; two of them were released as part of a hostage-prisoner exchange during last week’s temporary ceasefire, while the other four remain captives. “Do you understand that nobody is considering us?” al-Huzail asked, with desperation in his voice." "The youngest Bedouin victim, 5-year-old Yazan Abu Jama’a, was killed when a rocket fired from Gaza exploded close to his home in the village of Arara al-Naqab during the first hours of the war. Another victim, 50-year-old Abd al-Rahman Nasasra, was shot dead while trying to rescue people from the Nova music festival that was attacked by Hamas gunmen. Construction worker Amer Odeh Abu Sabila, a 25-year-old father of two, was also shot while trying to save a Jewish family near the Sderot police station. The list goes on and on. Then there are the abductees. Four of them were from the same family: Yousef al-Ziadna (53) and his three children, Hamza (22), Bilal (18), and Aisha (17), were all kidnapped while working at a barn on Kibbutz Holit (Aisha and Bilal have since been released). The other two Bedouin hostages are 53-year-old Farhan al-Qadi, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Magen where he works as a guard at the packing house; and 22-year-old Samer al-Talalqa, who worked at Kibbutz Nir Am."

[divdevdump]

[sbahour]

These Israeli youth are burning their draft orders — and no longer feeling alone (By Oren Ziv)

[plitnick]

Cutting Through: Will We Act To Prevent Genocide In Gaza?

In the latest edition of the Cutting Through newsletter, I break down the statements of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a news conference on December 2. In those words, he unambiguously told us all what I have been contending from the beginning: this is a war against the Palestinian people, including, but far from limited to Hamas. It was yet another clear admission of genocide,…

[xomoosexo]

https://x.com/hayxtt/status/1717553056961778024?s=46&t=HIQyFtKxFIH5PkhmZzmVpA sounds pretty zionist to me

damn I didn't see that video 😭

[cruelsister-moved2]

postign a tutorial on how to click on the "world" section of your favourite western newspaper since i can only imagine they didnt teach you that at american school either and that must be why youre so confused

[sayruq]

A new investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call reveals that the Israeli army has developed an artificial intelligence-based program known as “Lavender,” unveiled here for the first time. According to six Israeli intelligence officers, who have all served in the army during the current war on the Gaza Strip and had first-hand involvement with the use of AI to generate targets for assassination, Lavender has played a central role in the unprecedented bombing of Palestinians, especially during the early stages of the war. In fact, according to the sources, its influence on the military’s operations was such that they essentially treated the outputs of the AI machine “as if it were a human decision.”

During the early stages of the war, the army gave sweeping approval for officers to adopt Lavender’s kill lists, with no requirement to thoroughly check why the machine made those choices or to examine the raw intelligence data on which they were based. One source stated that human personnel often served only as a “rubber stamp” for the machine’s decisions, adding that, normally, they would personally devote only about “20 seconds” to each target before authorizing a bombing — just to make sure the Lavender-marked target is male. This was despite knowing that the system makes what are regarded as “errors” in approximately 10 percent of cases, and is known to occasionally mark individuals who have merely a loose connection to militant groups, or no connection at all. Moreover, the Israeli army systematically attacked the targeted individuals while they were in their homes — usually at night while their whole families were present — rather than during the course of military activity. According to the sources, this was because, from what they regarded as an intelligence standpoint, it was easier to locate the individuals in their private houses. Additional automated systems, including one called “Where’s Daddy?” also revealed here for the first time, were used specifically to track the targeted individuals and carry out bombings when they had entered their family’s residences.

The Lavender machine joins another AI system, “The Gospel,” about which information was revealed in a previous investigation by +972 and Local Call in November 2023, as well as in the Israeli military’s own publications. A fundamental difference between the two systems is in the definition of the target: whereas The Gospel marks buildings and structures that the army claims militants operate from, Lavender marks people — and puts them on a kill list. In addition, according to the sources, when it came to targeting alleged junior militants marked by Lavender, the army preferred to only use unguided missiles, commonly known as “dumb” bombs (in contrast to “smart” precision bombs), which can destroy entire buildings on top of their occupants and cause significant casualties. “You don’t want to waste expensive bombs on unimportant people — it’s very expensive for the country and there’s a shortage [of those bombs],” said C., one of the intelligence officers. Another source said that they had personally authorized the bombing of “hundreds” of private homes of alleged junior operatives marked by Lavender, with many of these attacks killing civilians and entire families as “collateral damage.”

Remember, the Israeli occupation government considers all men over the age of 16 to be Hamas operatives hence why they've claimed to have killed over 9,000 of them (which matches the number of Palestinian men killed according to the Ministry of Health). So, when the article speaks of 'low level' or 'high level militants' they're likely speaking of civilians.

If Israel knew who Hamas fighters are, Oct 7th wouldn't have caught them off guard and they wouldn't still be fighting the Palestinian resistance every single day.

[sanguinosa-blog]

‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza

The Israeli army has marked tens of thousands of Gazans as suspects for assassination, using an AI targeting system with little human oversight and a permissive policy for casualties, +972 and Local Call reveal. By Yuval Abraham April 3, 2024

In 2021, a book titled “The Human-Machine Team: How to Create Synergy Between Human and Artificial Intelligence That Will Revolutionize Our World” was released in English under the pen name “Brigadier General Y.S.” In it, the author — a man who we confirmed to be the current commander of the elite Israeli intelligence unit 8200 — makes the case for designing a special machine that could rapidly process massive amounts of data to generate thousands of potential “targets” for military strikes in the heat of a war. Such technology, he writes, would resolve what he described as a “human bottleneck for both locating the new targets and decision-making to approve the targets.”

Such a machine, it turns out, actually exists. A new investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call reveals that the Israeli army has developed an artificial intelligence-based program known as “Lavender,” unveiled here for the first time. According to six Israeli intelligence officers, who have all served in the army during the current war on the Gaza Strip and had first-hand involvement with the use of AI to generate targets for assassination, Lavender has played a central role in the unprecedented bombing of Palestinians, especially during the early stages of the war. In fact, according to the sources, its influence on the military’s operations was such that they essentially treated the outputs of the AI machine “as if it were a human decision.”

Formally, the Lavender system is designed to mark all suspected operatives in the military wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), including low-ranking ones, as potential bombing targets. The sources told +972 and Local Call that, during the first weeks of the war, the army almost completely relied on Lavender, which clocked as many as 37,000 Palestinians as suspected militants — and their homes — for possible air strikes.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

An investment firm led by former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper that is devoted to launching security companies in Israel has a new “success” story: helping that country’s military conduct secret mass surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza.

According to The New York Times, hundreds of Palestinians have been targeted by an “expansive and experimental” spying effort to “collect and catalogue” the faces of Palestinians. At times, civilians have been “wrongly flagged” as Hamas militants and then interrogated and tortured. [...]

Three out of five members of the Israeli company’s board of directors are Harper’s partners at Awz Ventures, meaning the former Canadian Prime Minister’s firm effectively controls Corsight.

Using Corsight’s spy tech, the Israeli military picked out Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha at a checkpoint in central Gaza in mid-November, as he was attempting to flee with his family to Egypt. He was separated, detained, and beaten. [...]

A former commander of this unit, retired Israeli Brigadier General Ehud Schneorson, is another of Harper’s advisory partners at Awz Ventures. According to a report in Israeli outlet +972 Magazine, Unit 8200 has also overseen an AI-based targeting system that has marked tens of thousands of Gazans for assassination. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland, @vague-humanoid, @fairuzfan

Note from the poster @el-shab-hussein: The murder of tens of thousands of Palestinians, and possibly my own extended family members, wouldn't have been possible without the investment of Stephen Harper. It wouldn't have been possible without the settler colony known as "Canada" and its bloodthirsty genocidaires.

[probablyasocialecologist]

In November, the Palestinian singer Hamada Nasrallah was shocked to discover a TikTok of a soldier playing the guitar that his father had bought him 15 years earlier. Other videos uploaded to social media in recent months show Israeli soldiers boasting about finding wristwatches; unboxing someone’s collection of soccer shirts; and stealing rugs, groceries, and jewelry. In a Facebook group for Israeli women comprising nearly 100,000 users, someone wondered what to do with the “gifts from Gaza” that her partner, a soldier, had brought back for her. Sharing a photo of cosmetic products, she wrote: “Everything is sealed except for one product. Would you use these? And does someone know the products or are they only in Gaza?” Indeed, since the start of Israel’s ground invasion in late October, soldiers have been taking whatever they can get their hands on from the homes of Palestinians who have been forced to flee. More than an open secret, the phenomenon has been widely — and uncritically — reported in the Israeli media, while rabbis from the Religious Zionist movement have been answering soldiers’ questions about what is permissible to loot according to Jewish law. Soldiers who returned from fighting in Gaza confirmed to +972 Magazine and Local Call that the phenomenon is ubiquitous, and that for the most part their commanders are allowing it to happen. “People took things — mugs, books, each one the souvenir that does it for him,” said one soldier, who admitted that he himself took a “souvenir” from one of the medical centers that the army occupied.

[queeranarchism]

Feel like this should be getting some more attention.

"Now, an investigation by the Guardian and the Israeli-based magazines +972 and Local Call can reveal how Israel has run an almost decade-long secret “war” against the court. The country deployed its intelligence agencies to surveil, hack, pressure, smear and allegedly threaten senior ICC staff in an effort to derail the court’s inquiries. ...

It is this spectre of prosecutions in The Hague that one former Israeli intelligence official said had led the “entire military and political establishment” to regard the counteroffensive against the ICC “as a war that had to be waged, and one that Israel needed to be defended against. It was described in military terms.”

That “war” commenced in January 2015, when it was confirmed that Palestine would join the court after it was recognised as a state by the UN general assembly. Its accession was condemned by Israeli officials as a form of “diplomatic terrorism”. ...

On 16 January 2015, within weeks of Palestine joining, Bensouda opened a preliminary examination into what in the legalese of the court was called “the situation in Palestine”. The following month, two men who had managed to obtain the prosecutor’s private address turned up at her home in The Hague. ....

“If Fatou Bensouda spoke to any person in the West Bank or Gaza, then that phone call would enter [intercept] systems,” one source said. Another said there was no hesitation internally over spying on the prosecutor, adding: “With Bensouda, she’s black and African, so who cares?” ....

after the ICC had opened a full investigation into the Palestine case, Gantz designated Al-Haq and five other Palestinian rights groups as “terrorist organisations”, a label that was rejected by multiple European states and later found by the CIA to be unsupported by evidence. The organisations said the designations were a “targeted assault” against those most actively engaging with the ICC. ....

A core ICC principle, known as complementarity, prevents the prosecutor from investigating or trying individuals if they are the subject of credible state-level investigations or criminal proceedings.

Israeli surveillance operatives were asked to find out which specific incidents might form part of a future ICC prosecution, multiple sources said, in order to enable Israeli investigative bodies to “open investigations retroactively” in the same cases.

“If materials were transferred to the ICC, we had to understand exactly what they were, to ensure that the IDF investigated them independently and sufficiently so that they could claim complementarity,” one source explained."

28 May 2024