ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister
The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has applied for arrest warrant against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the regime's war crimes and systematic attacks against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
An arrest warrant has also been sought for Israel's minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant against the backdrop of the military's seven months of bloody campaign in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Karim Khan said in a Monday statement that he has reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant "bear criminal responsibility" for "war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
He outlined a list of crimes, including "starvation of civilians" and "intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population.”
"We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to State policy.”
These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day, Khan added.
A panel of judges in the court will now consider the application for the arrest warrants.
#ICC Prosecutor @KarimKhanQC announces applications for arrest warrants in relation to Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant in the context of the situation in the State of #Palestine ⤵️https://t.co/WqDZecXFZq pic.twitter.com/bxqLWc5M6u
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) May 20, 2024
This course of action at the ICC, based in The Hague, marks the first such move against the head of a close ally of the United States.
When the reports surfaced last month about seeking course of action by the ICC chief prosecutor, the administration of President Joe Biden was quick to condemn the move, saying that "the ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation and we do not support its investigation."
The court has been investigating Israel's actions in the occupied territories for the past three years - and more recently the brutal war in the Gaza Strip as well.
Netanyahu asked Biden to prevent the arrest warrants against the regime's officials.
Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza prompted South Africa to file a case against Tel Aviv in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023.
In its application, South Africa said Israel's actions in Gaza were "genocidal in character."
The ICJ ruled in January that “there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza and the continuing serious harm to civilians since then.”
It ordered Tel Aviv to take all measures to prevent genocide in Gaza, but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire.
Israel's war in Gaza, which began in early October, has driven around 80% of the territory's population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities and claimed the lives of more than 35,560 people across the enclave.
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