What does Mapim and Alana Hadid have in common? Their thoughts on ICC’s warrant to arrest Hamas leaders
SHAH ALAM -- Just yesterday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court applied for arrest warrants against Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and top Hamas leaders on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The decision led Benjamin Netanyahu to respond with fury that he might face an arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity while others protest the arrest warrant for Hamas leaders.
In this case, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation (Mapim) and fashion designer Alana Hadi had something in common – they both highlighted that Netanyahu and Hamas leaders are not equal.
Hadid outlined the irony of the ICC, where they have created one of two tensions: arresting the occupied and the occupier at the same time.
"The ICC also issued arrest warrants for H members, the top H members, and that in and of itself is saying that the occupier and the occupied are equal, and they're not," she said.
Another tension mentioned was the fact that people under occupation, according to international law, have the right to armed assistance, which would be undoable if the assistance is also being held back, making it difficult to straighten things out for Palestine, the occupied, especially in receiving rightful aid.
"When countries are dealing with Israel, you are forced to acknowledge that they are doing, you know, trade or sending arms to known war criminals.
"So, while it's ridiculous, it's also important, and I think we can acknowledge both at the same time and have constructive conversations about why it's both," she said.
Hadid said that the ICC conducting arrest warrants for Netanyahu while also prosecuting Hamas members who were known for helping Palestinians needs to be constructively discussed by the en masse.
While countries continue to ally with Israel in creating more arms towards Palestine, conversations to raise awareness about such an action are needed.
Meanwhile, Mapim protested against the arrest of the Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar.
"Not one case committed by Israel of war crimes or crimes against humanity is being brought to justice for the Zionist aggression for the last seven decades," Mapim president Mohd Azmi Abdul Halim said in a statement, addressing the violence of Israel towards Palestine.
Stating that the arrest blatantly ignored the history of cruelty in Palestine, the October 7 incident would not suffice as a reason to arrest one of the strongest fronts of Palestine which was the Hamas.
"The Hamas leaders now are sons and daughters of martyred fighters to free Palestine.
"Fighting for freedom is a legal right of an occupied people.
"They are continuing the legal right of all Palestinians to reclaim their land and protect their human rights according to international laws," Azmi said, defending Hamas.
He further said that launching a military offensive to defend itself from further assault by Israel would be within Hamas' rights, for Israel has been the occupier and aggressor for seven decades.
"The ICC cannot be abused with false narratives of events in the endless persecutions of Palestinians. Hamas' demands are legitimate; withdraw all military presence in al-Aqsa and Baitul Maqdis, release all Palestinian prisoners, and end the Gaza blockade," Azmi urged the ICC and highlighted among the demands of Hamas to pave a better way for Palestine.
