ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for "Netanyahu"
Israeli Prime Minister and his former defense chief face war crime allegations related to Gaza. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Prosecutors in The Hague are also seeking the detention of Israel’s former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague announced on Thursday that it has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict.
Also named in a warrant is Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, facing similar charges.
The court alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant utilized starvation as a tactic of warfare, claiming they intentionally deprived Gaza’s civilian population of critical resources such as food, water, and medicine.
Prosecutors assert there was “no obvious military necessity” for these actions, which they say constitute violations of international law.
If they travel to any of the 123 countries that have signed the ICC’s Rome Statute, the two Israeli officials could be arrested.
The charges are part of a wider ICC investigation into purported crimes committed by Hamas during its attacks on Israel on October 7.
Prosecutors have accused Deif, identified as the architect of the assault, of murder, torture, and hostage-taking. Israel claims to have killed Deif in an airstrike earlier this year, but Hamas has yet to confirm his death.
The announcement has elicited a strong response, with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett calling the ICC warrants a “mark of shame,” and opposition leader Yair Lapid describing the decision as “a reward for terrorism.”
The Israeli government has consistently rejected accusations of war crimes and does not recognize the court's authority. The US and Russia, among others, also do not acknowledge the ICC.
Israel has contested the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that it was not given the chance to conduct an internal investigation into the allegations. Netanyahu’s administration has labeled the actions of the Hague as politically motivated interference.
In Washington, incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has threatened sanctions against the ICC, aligning with previous legislation approved by the House. “If the ICC does not reverse this outrageous action, the Senate must act to sanction the court,” Thune stated.
Other Republican lawmakers, including Senator Susan Collins, have expressed their support for Israel and urged for punitive actions against the ICC.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had initially requested arrest warrants in May, citing widespread violations during Israel’s military actions in response to Hamas. The court remarked that its Pre-Trial Chamber found “reasonable grounds” to believe the accused had engaged in crimes against humanity, including persecution and inhumane acts.
In the previous year, the ICC issued similar warrants for the detention of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the country’s Children’s Rights Commissioner.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague announced on Thursday that it has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict.
Also named in a warrant is Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, facing similar charges.
The court alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant utilized starvation as a tactic of warfare, claiming they intentionally deprived Gaza’s civilian population of critical resources such as food, water, and medicine.
Prosecutors assert there was “no obvious military necessity” for these actions, which they say constitute violations of international law.
If they travel to any of the 123 countries that have signed the ICC’s Rome Statute, the two Israeli officials could be arrested.
The charges are part of a wider ICC investigation into purported crimes committed by Hamas during its attacks on Israel on October 7.
Prosecutors have accused Deif, identified as the architect of the assault, of murder, torture, and hostage-taking. Israel claims to have killed Deif in an airstrike earlier this year, but Hamas has yet to confirm his death.
The announcement has elicited a strong response, with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett calling the ICC warrants a “mark of shame,” and opposition leader Yair Lapid describing the decision as “a reward for terrorism.”
The Israeli government has consistently rejected accusations of war crimes and does not recognize the court's authority. The US and Russia, among others, also do not acknowledge the ICC.
Israel has contested the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that it was not given the chance to conduct an internal investigation into the allegations. Netanyahu’s administration has labeled the actions of the Hague as politically motivated interference.
In Washington, incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has threatened sanctions against the ICC, aligning with previous legislation approved by the House. “If the ICC does not reverse this outrageous action, the Senate must act to sanction the court,” Thune stated.
Other Republican lawmakers, including Senator Susan Collins, have expressed their support for Israel and urged for punitive actions against the ICC.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had initially requested arrest warrants in May, citing widespread violations during Israel’s military actions in response to Hamas. The court remarked that its Pre-Trial Chamber found “reasonable grounds” to believe the accused had engaged in crimes against humanity, including persecution and inhumane acts.
In the previous year, the ICC issued similar warrants for the detention of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the country’s Children’s Rights Commissioner.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
