The International Criminal Court (ICC) has once again refused to overturn arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The warrants, initially issued in November 2024, allege that both men are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC’s Appeals Chamber rejected an Israeli challenge to the warrants, affirming their validity and the ongoing investigation into Israel’s conduct during the conflict. According to a statement released by the court on Monday, the appeals judges overwhelmingly dismissed Israel’s attempt to halt the investigation.
The decision signifies that the investigation remains active and the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant are still in effect. These warrants have been a source of significant international tension.
In response, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Oren Marmorstein, expressed strong condemnation of the ICC’s decision. He accused the court of political bias and a “blatant disregard for the sovereign rights of non-member states” in a post on social media.
The ICC is currently considering another Israeli challenge regarding its jurisdiction in the matter, as well as a request to disqualify Prosecutor Karim Khan. This latest rejection follows previous rulings in July and October, where the court denied initial and subsequent appeals by Israel to cancel the arrest warrants.
The investigation by the ICC was initiated following a request in November 2023 by five member states – South Africa, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Comoros, and Djibouti – to investigate alleged Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip.
Recent revelations have also surfaced regarding alleged pressure exerted on the ICC. Prosecutor Karim Khan has claimed that the British government threatened to withdraw funding and exit the Rome Statute system if the court proceeded with issuing an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Khan stated that he received a stern phone call from an unnamed British official in April 2024. The Prosecutor, who is of British-Pakistani descent, also indicated receiving warnings from a US official about potential “consequences” if the warrants were issued.
