IDF chief condemns ICC probe, implies judges unfamiliar with terror tactics

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi condemns the International Criminal Court’s investigation into Israel over alleged war crimes and defends the Israeli military’s conduct.

“The values of the IDF and international law are not only intended to prevent harm to bystanders on the other side, they are equally aimed at enabling us to protect our citizens,” he says.

Kohavi tells soldiers that the IDF will protect them from prosecution.

He also argues that the ICC is unfamiliar with the terrorist tactics that IDF soldiers encounter.

“The Hague is living in the old world. In the Middle East, there is a new area of terrorism,” he says, adding that there’s a “gulf” between what is happening on the ground and how the judges at the ICC perceive those actions.