(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (Thursday, 16 July 2015), issued the following statement in the wake of the ICC decision:
 
"IDF soldiers acted in self-defense in stopping an attempt to break through the maritime closure that was carried out in accordance with international law as determined by a committee appointed by the UN Secretary General, a commission headed by a Supreme Court judge and international observers.

At a time when Assad in Syria is slaughtering tens of thousands of his own people, when Iran is executing hundreds and Hamas in Gaza is using children as human shields, the court chooses to deal with Israel for cynical political reasons. Against this hypocrisy our soldiers will continue to protect us in the field and we will defend them in the international arena."