The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly seeking to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The ICC is also considering arrest warrants for Hamas leaders.
Anonymous Israeli officials spoke to The Times of Israel, claiming the National Security Council is leading the effort.
The focus behind the alleged arrest warrant is that Israel “deliberately starved Palestinians in Gaza,” said one official.
“There is nothing more twisted than trying to prevent Israel from defending itself against a murderous enemy that openly calls for the destruction of Israel,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. “If the orders are issued, they will harm the commanders and soldiers of the IDF and give a boost to the terrorist organization Hamas and the radical Islamic axis led by Iran against which we are fighting.”
Netanyahu responded to the reports on X, writing, “Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.”
“The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it,” he asserted. “Israel will continue to wage to victory our just war against genocidal terrorists and we will never stop defending ourselves.”
“While the ICC will not affect Israel’s actions, it would set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression.”
Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024
The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.
Israel…
Both the United States and Israel are not members of the ICC.
