Israel, Palestine and the International Criminal Court: What You Need to Know
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was founded in 1998 to investigate and prosecute war crimes, aggression, crimes against humanity and genocide.
J Street organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans to promote US policies that embody our deeply held Jewish and democratic values and that help secure the State of Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people. We believe that only a negotiated resolution agreed to by Israelis and Palestinians can meet the legitimate needs and national aspirations of both peoples.
Working in the American political system, in the Jewish community and with others with whom we share core values, we advocate for diplomacy-first American leadership and policies that advance justice, equality, peace, and democracy in Israel, in the wider region and in the United States as well.
In a moment of crisis and war for Israelis and Palestinians, and with events on the ground and in Washington moving fast, it is extremely important for J Street to be clear about where we stand, what we are advocating for, and what we are encouraging the Biden Administration and Members of Congress to do.
Watch our introductory video to learn more about our values and our pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy work in pursuit of a future of peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians.
Our Israel is a J Street initiative to spotlight amazing Israeli organizations and individuals who share our values and who struggle, as we do in the United States, to build and preserve a liberal, democratic society underpinned by the principles of equality, freedom, justice and peace.
Watch and listen to our conversations with subject matter experts exploring different perspectives, building bridges, and fostering dialogue.
To truly protect Jews on campus and across the country, Congress must implement a collaborative and nuanced antisemitism strategy that centers Jewish safety above political gamesmanship.
We urge senators to continue to make the safe return of the hostages a high-priority issue in all meetings with the Biden administration and other interlocutors, and to strongly consider the impact that any US policies and actions may have on the safety of hostages.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was founded in 1998 to investigate and prosecute war crimes, aggression, crimes against humanity and genocide.
After her 23-year-old daughter was abducted from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7, Meirav Gonen’s world was torn apart.
While it must be said that Palestinians will never gain their freedom through terror, it is equally true that Israelis will never gain security through military force alone.
Not knowing the fate of the person you love the most is a particularly cruel form of torture.
The UN’s Top Court Says It Will Rule Friday on Israel’s Offensive in Rafah, NPR
The court has no way to enforce its orders, but the case, brought by South Africa, has put increasing international pressure on Israel to show more restraint in its military campaign in Gaza. Last week, as part of its defense at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice in The Hague, Israel characterized its military operation in Rafah, which lies on Gaza’s border with Egypt, as “limited and localized.” It argued that the court’s judges should not restrict Israel’s actions in Gaza. Lawyers for South Africa argued that Israel’s Rafah offensive was “the last step in the destruction of Gaza and the Palestinian people.”
Israeli Army Recovers Bodies of Three Hostages in Gaza, Reuters
The Families Forum, a group that represents families of the hostages, called on the government to increase efforts for an agreement to get back the remaining hostages still held in Gaza. “The recovery of their bodies is a silent but resolute reminder that the State of Israel is obligated to immediately dispatch negotiation teams with a clear demand to bring about a deal that will swiftly return all the hostages home: the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for burial,” it said in a statement.