HAGUE (Kaab TV) – The International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, rejecting Israel’s challenges to the Court’s jurisdiction.
The Chamber ruled on two requests submitted by Israel on September 26, 2024. In the first request, Israel challenged the ICC’s jurisdiction over the Situation in the State of Palestine, particularly concerning Israeli nationals, citing Article 19(2) of the Rome Statute.
In the second request, Israel asked the Chamber to order the Prosecution to provide a new notification of the initiation of an investigation to Israeli authorities under Article 18(1) of the Statute.
Israel also sought to halt all proceedings in the case, including the Prosecution’s May 20, 2024, applications for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
The Chamber dismissed these requests, affirming its jurisdiction and allowing the Prosecution to proceed.
“The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest,” the warrant notes.
This decision raises uncertainty about how Israel’s Western allies—many of whom are ICC signatories—will respond.
Signatory countries are obligated to detain individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants if they enter their territories and to surrender them to the Court.
However, it remains unclear whether such actions would be taken against Netanyahu or Gallant.
The ruling is expected to heighten tensions between Israel, the ICC, and states supporting the international tribunal, as international attention focuses on the next steps in this contentious case.