Left-wing politicians launch petition to investigate Israel for genocide

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – More than 60 left-wing politicians from Europe and Latin America signed a petition launched Tuesday calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israeli leaders for genocide.

“We’re not going to allow a genocide with our silence and complicity,” said Ione Belarra, Spanish minister for social rights, as she launched the initiative. “If you don’t stop brutality in time, it drags you along with it.”

The petition names several Israeli leaders – including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

The communique also said that the ICC has enough evidence to launch arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Galant.

Beyond pushing for the investigation and prosecution of Israeli leadership, it calls for an end to “occupation, apartheid and the expansion of the colonial project of the State of Israel.”

The petition was signed by Belarra, along with dozens of other prominent leftist politicians like Jeremy Corbyn from the UK’s Labour Party, Manon Aubry from France’s Insoumise, Joana Mortagua of Portugal’s Left Bloc, and Peter Mertens of the Workers Party of Belgium.

Open to anyone, the petition, in its first hours, was signed by hundreds more people, ranging from retirees to teachers and engineers around the globe.

The Justice for Gaza initiative’s stated aim is to “bring together diverse voices from international civil society, political leaders and representatives, and citizens from around the world” to call on the ICC to act now.