The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant “for crimes against humanity and war crimes”.
The move is a dramatic escalation of legal proceedings over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, marking the first time the court has issued a warrant for a western-backed leader since its establishment in 2002.
Although the ICC’s 124 member states would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they entered their territory, the court lacks means of enforcing the warrants if they do not. This further isolates Israel internationally over its actions in Gaza.
Announcing the decision, the court stated that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for various war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel’s appeal against the ICC’s jurisdiction was also rejected unanimously.
Israel criticized the warrants as “anti-Semitic” and rejected the charges, calling the ICC a biased political body. Netanyahu’s office vowed to continue protecting Israeli citizens and achieving the country’s war goals.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the warrants as a “reward for terrorism”, while Palestinian officials welcomed the ICC’s actions as a step towards justice and accountability.
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif for crimes against humanity and war crimes related to the militant group’s attack on Israel in 2023. Israel claimed to have killed Deif in an airstrike earlier.
International reactions to the warrants varied, with the US condemning the move, while the EU supported the court’s decision. The ICC’s prosecutor initially sought warrants for multiple individuals involved in the conflict.
These developments come amidst intense criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, triggering legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice related to the conflict.
