Israel condemns ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

Israeli officials condemn the ICC’s request for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant over Gaza war crimes

Israeli officials have condemned the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) request for arrest warrants targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan has requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas leaders, citing reasonable grounds to believe they are responsible for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip, since at least October.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s statement as “outrageous” in a post on his social media account. He warned that such actions threatened the integrity of the international judicial system, implying a risk of collapse.

President Herzog claimed that the application for the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant was a “one-sided political step”.

On the other hand, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized the ICC’s move, calling it a “historical disgrace that will be remembered forever.” Katz announced that his ministry would establish a specialized unit to combat the decision, which he claims is intended to prevent Israel from exercising its right to self-defense.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused the ICC of antisemitism, describing the application as displaying “hypocrisy and hatred of Jews, akin to that shown by the court in The Hague since Nazi propaganda.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Israel to ignore the ICC’s actions against Netanyahu and Gallant and called for intensified military operations against Hamas in Gaza “until they are completely destroyed.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the ICC’s decision, calling it a “terrible political failure.”

Despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued its military offensive in Gaza. Since October, over 35,500 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed, and more than 79,600 injured.

Seven months into the conflict, Gaza remains in ruins under a severe blockade restricting food, clean water, and medical supplies. The International Court of Justice has accused Israel of “genocide” and ordered it to ensure its forces do not commit such acts and to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza’s civilians.

Source: AA