Prominent American lawyer Alan Dershowitz has announced the formation of a “legal dream team” to defend Israel against mounting legal challenges, both in international courtrooms and the global arena of public opinion.
In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Dershowitz referenced the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants recently issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. “This case will be tried in a courtroom in The Hague,” he wrote, “but it will also be tried in the court of public opinion, both in the US and around the world.”
The high-profile team assembled by Dershowitz includes legal heavyweights such as former U.S. Attorneys General Michael Mukasey and William Barr, former Solicitor General Seth Waxman, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, and Canada’s former attorney general and justice minister Irwin Cotler. While the team’s specific role in ICC proceedings remains unclear, Dershowitz stressed its commitment to challenging the court’s jurisdiction and countering allegations against Israel.
The team intends to argue not only that the ICC lacks authority over the matter but also that Israel’s military actions in Gaza comply with international law.
The ICC’s unprecedented issuance of arrest warrants for leaders of a democratic country has sparked global controversy. The decision, targeting Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, exposes them to the risk of detention in numerous countries, escalating both legal and diplomatic tensions.
