This week, the ICC may authorize the issuance of arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and other high-ranking Israeli officials.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) could be about to charge Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahi and other senior military officials with war crimes according to reports.
It is anticipated that arrest warrants will be issued within the week.
According to an Israeli official speaking to NBC news, the country is using diplomatic channels to prevent the ICC from issuing the warrants.
Three years ago, the court initiated a probe into potential war crimes carried out by Israel and Palestinian militants during the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2014.
RT reports: Citing an Israeli official, the American network claimed that warrants could be issued for Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and unnamed senior military officers. The official said that “Israel is working through diplomatic channels to try to stop the warrants being issued,” in NBC’s words.
According to Israeli media, army chief Herzl Halevi is among the military officials facing charges.
The ICC did not confirm or deny the report, telling NBC that it “has an ongoing independent investigation in relation to the situation in the State of Palestine” and has “no further comment to make at this stage.”
The ICC’s investigation was launched in 2021, and concerns alleged war crimes by the Israeli military and Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza since 2014, when Israel fought a month-long war against Hamas.
South AFrica has brought a separate case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging that Israeli forces have committed genocide and crimes against humanity during their military operations in Gaza against Hamas. This case is independent of the probe.
The International Criminal COurt (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are both headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. While the ICC is responsible for prosecuting individuals for grave offenses such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression, the ICJ serves as a UN organ for resolving disputes between nations.
Should the ICC issue a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, the Israeli PM is unlikely to be hauled to The Hague to face trial. Israel– like the US, Russia, and China– is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction. A warrant could, however, place Netanyahu at risk of arrest if he were to travel to any of the 124 countries that recognize the court.
Following the recent revelation of a possible indictment for war crimes, Netanyahu issued a statement on Friday, affirming that Israel will not tolerate any attempt by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to weaken its fundamental right to protect itself.
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