ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu?
Israel is reportedly growing increasingly concerned that the ICC will issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials according to the New Arab and agencies on April 27.
Since 2021 the ICC has been investigating Israel’s human rights violations against Palestinians, beginning in 2014.
In late April, Israel’s senior government officials reportedly held meetings to discuss the potential for the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.
The tribunal is expected to focus on policymakers rather than low-ranking soldiers, according to statements by officials cited on Israel’s Channel 13.
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The court typically does not disclose information regarding when an arrest warrant could be issued.
The potential for an arrest was first outlined by the controversial British pro-Israel journalist-come-propagandist Douglas Murray, in an opinion piece for the US newspaper, the New York Post.
Murray wrote arrest warrants could be issued in “the next few days”.
While Netanyahu would not immediately face trial, according to Murray, it would nonetheless impact his, and Israel’s global reputation – pressuring Israel and ICC members to respond.
But Netanyahu said on April 26 that such a warrant would not detract from his mission in Gaza: “Under my leadership , Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in the Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself.
“While decisions made by the court in the Hague will not affect Israel’s actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures,” he added.
Human rights organizations have critiqued Israel’s war in Gaza for violating international law, as a form of collective punishment against Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
The ICC case represents the latest attempt to bring Israel to account through the international legal system.
South Africa previously made headlines when accusing Israel of genocide in December 2023, initiating a case through The Hague-based International Court of Justice.
While the court ultimately decided in January that Israel was not guilty of committing genocide, since then Israel has been critiqued for ignoring the court’s ruling.
The potential ICC arrest warrants also follow Lebanon’s move towards an ICC investigation and prosecution of Israeli war crimes carried out on its soil since October 8.
READ: Lebanon moves towards ICC jurisdiction over Israeli war crimes
Although Israel is not a member of the ICC, the court has jurisdiction to investigate war crimes or crimes against humanity carried out in Gaza.
The ICC previously released an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of illegally deporting Ukrainian children following the Russian invasion.
The New Arab / Agencies
