Israel

Reservations made upon ratification:

“In accordance with paragraph 1(b) of Article 8 of the Convention, the Government of the State of [Israel] shall apply the Convention only to the extent that the parties to the settlement agreement have agreed to the application of the Convention.”

Declaration under article 30 (5):

“Pursuant to Article 30 (5) of the Convention, Israel declares that any amendment to an annex to the Convention shall enter into force for Israel only upon the deposition of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession with respect thereto.”

Reservation made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:

"Pursuant to article 66, paragraph 3 of the Convention, the Government of the State of Israel declares that it does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 66, paragraph 2 of the Convention."

“The Government of Israel ratifies the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) and declares in accordance with Article 23 (2), that it accepts the arbitration procedure set out in annex IV, as the only means of disputes settlement within the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR).”

Declaration Regarding Article 35(2)

“In accordance with Article 35 paragraph 3 of the Convention the State of Israel declares that it does not consider itself bound by Article 35 paragraph 2, which stipulates that all disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention shall be referred to the International Court of Justice.”

Declarations:

"The Government of the State of Israel declares pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict that:
(a) The minimum age in which the State of Israel permits voluntary recruitment into its armed forces is 17 years of age, according to article 14 of the defense service law (consolidated version) 5746-1986;
(b) The Government of the State of Israel maintains the following safeguards in respect of voluntary recruitment into the armed forces so as to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced:
1. In accordance with section 14 of the defense service law (consolidated version) 5746-1986, no person under 18 years of age may enlist in the Israeli armed forces without a written application submitted by the person and the written consent of the person's parents or legal guardian; however, should there be an appreciable difficulty in contacting one of the parents, the written consent of the other parent is sufficient;
2. Clear and precise explanation of the nature of the duties involved in military service is provided to both the person and the person's parents or legal guardian;
3. Prior to acceptance of any person into the Israeli armed forces a reliable proof of age is obtained through the Ministry of the Interior's official national population registry.
4. The IDF has several long-term programs in which participants may engage in academic or rabbinic studies or perform volunteer work, prior to the commencement of their actual military service. Enrollment in these programs is open to participants from the age of 17.5. For administrative purposes, these participants undergo a one-day administrative induction into the armed forces. Following their administrative induction, these participants are released from active service and enroll in their chosen program.
5. Persons under 18 years of age, who enlist in one of the aforementioned ways, may in no case be posted to combat duty.”

"... with the following declarations:
Pursuant to Article 2, paragraph 2 (a) of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, the Government of the State of Israel declares that in the application of the Convention the treaties to which the state of Israel is not a party shall be deemed not to be included in the Annex of the Convention.
...
Pursuant to Article 24, paragraph 2 of the Convention, the State of Israel does not consider itself bound by the provisions of Article 24, paragraph 1 of the Convention.
The Government of the State of Israel understands that the term "international humanitarian law" referred to in Article 21 of the Convention has the same substantial meaning as the term "the law of war". This body of laws does not include the provisions of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Convention of 1977 to which the State of Israel is not a party."

Declaration:

“Pursuant to article 20, paragraph 2 of the Convention, the Government of the State of Israel declares that with respect to any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the convention, it recognizes only (a) Arbitration in accordance with procedures to be adopted by the Conference of the Parties in an annex as soon as practicable.”
Declaration:

“The Government of the State of Israel has noted that the instrument of ratification of the Syrian Arab Republic to the abovementioned Convention contains a declaration with respect to the State of Israel. The Government of the State of Israel considers that such a declaration, which is explicitly of a political nature, is incompatible with the purposes and objectives of the Convention.
The Government of the State of Israel therefore objects to the aforesaid declaration made by the Syrian Arab Republic.”

" ... with the following declarations:
The Government of the State of Israel understands Article 1, paragraph 4, of the Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, in the sense that the term "military forces of a State" includes police and security forces operating pursuant to the internal law of the State of Israel.
...
The Government of the State of Israel understands that the term "international humanitarian law"referred to in Article 19, of the Convention has the same substantive meaning as the term "the laws of war"( "jus in bello"). This body of laws does not include the provisions of the protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1977 to which the State of Israel is not a Party.
The Government of the State of Israel understands that under Article 1 paragraph 4 and Article 19 the Convention does not apply to civilians who direct or organize the official activities of military forces of a state.
Pursuant to Article 20, paragraph 2 of the Convention, the State of Israel does not consider itself bound by the provisions of Article 20, paragraph 1 of the Convention."

Declaration:

"In accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 32, the Government of the State of Israel declares that it does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph 2 of and 3 of this Article."

Reservations:

"1. In accordance with article 28 of the Convention, the State of Israel hereby declares that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in article 20.
"2. In accordance with paragraph 2 of article 30, the State of Israel hereby declares that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1 of that article."

Declarations:

"(a) With reference to the scope of application defined in article 1 of the Convention, the Government of the State of Israel will apply the provisions of the Convention and those annexed Protocols to which Israel has agreed become bound to all armed conflicts involving regular armed forces of States referred to in article 2 common to the General Conventions of 12 August 1949, as well as to all armed conflicts referred to in article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949.
(b) Article 7, paragraph 4 of the Convention will have no effect.
(c) The application of this Convention will have no effect on the legal status of the parties to a conflict.
Understandings:
(a) It is the understanding of the Government of the State of Israel that the compliance of commanders and others responsible for planning, deciding upon, or executing attacks to which the Convention and its Protocols apply, cannot be judged on the basis of information which subsequently comes to light, but must be assessed on the basis of the information available to them at the time that such actions were taken.
(b) With respect to Protocol I, it is the understanding of the Government of Israel that the use of plastics or similar materials for detonators or other weapon parts not designed to cause injury is not prohibited.
(c) With respect to Protocol I, it is the understanding of the Government of Israel that:
(i) Any obligation to record the location of remotely delivered mines pursuant to sub-paragraph 1 (a) of article 5 refers to the location of mine fields and not to the location of individual remotely delivered mines;
(ii) The term pre-planned, as used in sub-paragraph 1 (a) of article 7 means that the position of the minefield in question should have been determined in advance so that an accurate record of the location of the minefield, when laid, can be made."

Reservations:

"1. The State of Israel hereby expresses its reservation with regard to article 7 (b) of the Convention concerning the appointment of women to serve as judges of religious courts where this is prohibited by the laws of any of the religious communities in Israel. Otherwise, the said article is fully implemented in Israel, in view of the fact that women take a prominent part in all aspect of public life.
"2. The State of Israel hereby expresses its reservation with regard to article 16 of the Convention, to the extent that the laws on personal status which are binding on the various religious communities in Israel do not conform with the provisions of that article."
Declaration:

"3. In accordance with paragraph 2 of article 29 of the Convention, the State of Israel hereby declares that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1 of that article."

Declaration:

"The Government of the State of Israel, in accordance with article 21 [2] (b) of the said Constitution, will not apply the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization."

Declarations:

"The Government of the State of Israel declares that its accession to the Convention does not constitute acceptance by it as binding of the provisions of any other international instrument, or acceptance by it of any other international instrument as being an instrument related to the Convention.
The Government of Israel reaffirms the contents of its com- munication of 11 May 1979 to the Secretary-General of the United Nations."
Reservation:

"The State of Israel does not consider itself bound by para- graph 1 of article 13 of the Convention."

Upon signature:

". . . The Government of Israel will not proceed to the ratification of the Protocol until it has received assurances that all the neighbouring States who intend to become parties to it will do so without reservation or declaration, and that the so-called reservation or declaration referring to Israel and made by one of Israel's neighbours in connection with its participation in the1961 Single Convention, and which was quoted at the meeting of the Second Committee on 18 March 1972, is withdrawn."
Upon ratification:

". . . The Government of the State of Israel, in accordance with the powers vested in it by the law, decided to ratify the Protocol while maintaining all its rights to adopt toward all other parties an attitude of complete reciprocity."

Reservations:

1. “The Government of the State of Israel declare that it does not consider itself bound by article 18, paragraphs 2 and 3 hereof.”
2. “The Government of Israel reserves its right to use measures to be applied during the tolerance period with respect to the implementation of digital tachograph by the contracting Parties to the AETR of 1 July 1970, during a period of two years after Israel’s accession to the AETR agreement.”

Reservation:

"With reference to Article 23 of the Covenant, and any other provision thereof to which the present reservation may be relevant, matters of personal status are governed in Israel by the religious law of the parties concerned.
"To the extent that such law is inconsistent with its obligations under the Covenant, Israel reserves the right to apply that law."

"The State of Israel does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 22 of the said Convention."

Declarations:

"1. Pursuant to Article 5(3) of the Convention, Israel shall not apply the criterion of fixation, as set forth in Article 5(l) (b).
2. In respect of Article 6(1) and pursuant to Article 6(2) of the convention, Israel will protect broadcasts only if the headquarters of the broadcasting organization is situated in another Contracting State and the broadcast was transmitted from a transmitter situated in the same Contracting State.
3. Pursuant to Article 16(1)(a)(iii) of the Convention, as regards phonograms the producer of which is not a national of another Contracting State, Israel will not apply Article 12 of the Convention.
4. Pursuant to Article 16(1)(a)(iv) of the Convention, as regards phonograms the producer of which is a national of another Contracting State, Israel will limit the protection provided by Article 12 of the Convention to the extent to which, and to the term for which, that other Contracting State grants protection to phonograms first fixed by a national of Israel.
5. Pursuant to Article 16(1)(b) of the Convention, Israel will not apply Article 13(d) of the Convention."

" Article 5 : The Transmitting Agency shall transmit under paragraph 1 any order, final or provisional, and any other judicial act, obtained by the claimant for the payment of maintenance in a competent tribunal of Israel, and, where necessary and possible, the record of the proceedings in which such order was made.
" Article 10: Israel reserves the right:
"a) to take the necessary measures to prevent transfers of funds under this Article for purposes other than the bona fide payment of existing maintenance obligations;
"b) to limit the amounts transferable pursuant to this Article, to amounts necessary for subsistence."

“[S]ubject to the following statements and reservations:
...
2. Articles 8 and 12 shall not apply to Israel.
3. Article 28 shall apply to Israel with the limitations which result from Section 6 of the Passport Law of 5712-1952, according to which the Minister may, at his discretion:
(a) Refuse to grant, or to extend the validity of a passport or laissez-passer;
(b) Attach conditions to the grant or the extension of the validity of a passport or laissez-passer;
(c) Cancel, or shorten the period of validity of a passport or laissez-passer issued, and order the surrender thereof;
(d) Limit, either at or after the issue of a passport or laissez-passer, the range of countries for which it is to be valid.
4. Permits provided for by Article 30 shall be issued by the Minister of Finance at his discretion."

Upon signature:

Declaration:

“Being an active consistent supporter of the concept of an International Criminal Court, and its realization in the form of the Rome Statute, the Government of the State of Israel is proud to thus express its acknowledgment of the importance, and indeed indispensability, of an effective court for the enforcement of the rule of law and the prevention of impunity.
As one of the originators of the concept of an International Criminal Court, Israel, through its prominent lawyers and statesmen, has, since the early 1950’s, actively participated in all stages of the formation of such a court. Its representatives, carrying in both heart and mind collective, and sometimes personal, memories of the holocaust - the greatest and most heinous crime to have been committed in the history of mankind - enthusiastically, with a sense of acute sincerity and seriousness, contributed to all stages of the preparation of the Statute. Responsibly, possessing the same sense of mission, they currently support the work of the ICC Preparatory Commission.
At the 1998 Rome Conference, Israel expressed its deep disappointment and regret at the insertion into the Statute of formulations tailored to meet the political agenda of certain states. Israel warned that such an unfortunate practice might reflect on the intent to abuse the Statute as a political tool. Today, in the same spirit, the Government of the State of Israel signs the Statute while rejecting any attempt to interpret provisions thereof in a politically motivated manner against Israel and its citizens. The Government of Israel hopes that Israel’s expressions of concern of any such attempt would be recorded in history as a warning against the risk of politicization, that might undermine the objectives of what is intended to become a central impartial body, benefiting mankind as a whole.
Nevertheless, as a democratic society, Israel has been conducting ongoing political, pand academic debates concerning the ICC and its significance in the context of international law and the international community. The Court’s essentiality - as a vital means of ensuring that criminals who commit genuinely heinous crimes will be duly brought to justice, while other potential offenders of the fundamental principles of humanity and the dictates of public conscience will be properly deterred - has never seized to guide us. Israel’s signature of the Rome Statute will, therefore, enable it to morally identify with this basic idea, underlying the establishment of the Court.
Today, [the Government of Israel is] honoured to express [its] sincere hopes that the Court, guided by the cardinal judicial principles of objectivity and universality, will indeed serve its noble and meritorious objectives.”

Upon signature:

"1. It is the understanding of Israel that the Convention implements the principle that hostage taking is prohibited in all circumstances and that any person committing such an act shall be either prosecuted or extradited pursuant to article 8 of this Convention or the relevant provisions of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 or their additional Protocols, without any exception whatsoever.
"2) The Government of Israel declares that it reserves the right, when depositing the instrument of ratification, to make reservations and additional declarations and understandings."