ICC Appeal Decision: A Critical Step Toward Accountability for War Crimes in Gaza

OFFICIAL STATEMENT
MAPIM (Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations)

22nd December 2025

ICC Appeal Decision: A Critical Step Toward Accountability for War Crimes in Gaza

MAPIM welcomes the decision by the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reject one of the legal challenges submitted by the Israeli regime and to uphold the continuation of the Court’s investigation into alleged crimes committed during the war in Gaza.

This decision confirms that the arrest warrants issued against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant remain valid.

MAPIM views this ruling as an important affirmation that international justice must not be subordinated to political pressure, military power, or selective interpretations of sovereignty.

1. Justice Must Prevail Over Political Intimidation
   The ICC’s finding that there are reasonable grounds to believe war crimes may have been committed, including the restriction of humanitarian aid and the deliberate targeting of civilians, reflects the gravity of the situation in Gaza. Attempts to dismiss these proceedings as “anti-Semitic” are deeply misleading and dangerous. Accountability for war crimes is not an attack on any religion or ethnicity. It is a universal legal and moral obligation.
2. Rejection of ICC Jurisdiction Does Not Erase Crimes
   Israel’s refusal to recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC does not negate the overwhelming evidence of civilian suffering, mass displacement, and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. International law exists to protect victims of atrocities, not to provide immunity to those in positions of power.
3. Sanctions Against the ICC Undermine the Global Justice System
   MAPIM strongly condemns the decision by the United States to impose sanctions on ICC officials, including judges and the Prosecutor, Karim Khan. Such actions represent a direct assault on the independence of international judicial institutions and expose a troubling double standard in the so-called defence of the “rules-based international order.”
4. On the Withdrawal of Warrants Against Hamas Leaders
   MAPIM stresses that the withdrawal of arrest warrants against Hamas leaders following their deaths must not be used to create false equivalence or to dilute responsibility for systematic and prolonged violations carried out by a state actor with vast military capability and sustained international backing. The scale, duration, and impact of the violence inflicted on Gaza’s civilian population are fundamentally disproportionate.
5. MAPIM’s Calls to Action
   In light of this ruling, MAPIM calls for:

●The ICC to continue its investigations independently, free from political or economic coercion.

●All States Parties to the Rome Statute to fulfil their legal obligations to respect and enforce ICC arrest warrants.

●The Government of Malaysia and Muslim-majority countries to express clear and public support for the ICC and to oppose external interference in international justice processes.

● Immediate and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza, with full protection for aid workers and civilians.

Conclusion

This decision sends a clear message that war crimes do not disappear with time, power, or denial. Justice may be delayed, but it must not be abandoned.

MAPIM stands firmly with the Palestinian people and with all victims of injustice, and will continue to advocate through legal, moral, and humanitarian channels until accountability and justice are realised.
Justice delayed must never become justice denied.

Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid
President
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations