Does Israeli government fear ending up in court?

When the Palestinian Authority applied recently for Palestine to join the International Criminal Court, Israel responded by immediately confiscating vital Palestinian tax-funds.

In a letter of 10 January, the Deputy Israeli Ambassador to Ireland tries to peddle the line that Israel’s punitive response arose out of its concern for the welfare of the Oslo Accords of 1993.

The Israeli prime minister gave quite a different reason. He revealed that his Government’s concern was to prevent Israeli soldiers being “dragged” before the International Criminal Court. It is seldom, however, that soldiers are brought before the International Criminal Court. That fate is reserved usually for prime ministers or other leaders accused of ordering or orchestrating war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity. Can it be that Mr Netanyahu’s action stems from a fear that he and his government officials might find themselves in the dock?