Andrea Pontiroli 🇪🇺

EU Member States are serious about protecting the @IntlCrimCourt and a world governed by international law. In The Hague, I met ICC President Tomoko Akane to convey the EU’s strong support for the Court, its judges, and their work. The European Council has expressed its deep regret over the U.S. announcement to impose sanctions against the ICC and has urged to reverse them. The EU will use the next six months for dialogue, to find a solution and explore what more we can do to help the Court. The Sakharov Prize recognises the ICC’s vital work in giving victims of the gravest crimes a voice. The Court must remain able to pursue justice independently, free from pressure or intimidation.

The ICC is the cornerstone of the international criminal justice system. It prosecutes individuals responsible for the most serious crimes under international law. I have spoken with ICC President Tomoko Akane following the United States’ announced intention to impose sanctions. The six-month period before the measures take effect offers a window for dialogue. The EU has always supported the Court, and the EU has options to ensure that it can continue its vital work. Protecting the ICC remains an EU priority.

Congratulations to Navi Pillay on the well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize. Navi Pillay dedicated her life to upholding justice and protecting human dignity, from her role as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to her work on accountability for the genocide in Rwanda. She has shown the world that the quest for justice and the quest for peace are one and the same. At a moment where international law is under attack, along with the institutions that exist to uphold it, her work should serve as an inspiration to us all.

The latest ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon offers a chance to prevent a return to full-scale hostilities. But the death of a UNIFIL peacekeeper and continued skirmishes underscore the tenuous nature of what was agreed. The best way to reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah is to strengthen the Lebanese state, empower its institutions, and restore its monopoly on the use of force. To support this effort, the EU today agreed to provide an extra €100 million to Lebanon’s Armed Forces.

EU Foreign Ministers just gave the go-ahead to sanction Israeli settlers over violence against Palestinians. They also agreed new sanctions on leading Hamas figures. It was high time we move from deadlock to delivery. Extremisms and violence carry consequences.