ICC Rejects Israel’s Bid to Halt Netanyahu Arrest

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has rejected Israel’s request to block arrest warrants issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, declaring the attempt to be without legal merit.

In a legal filing released Thursday, Prosecutor Karim Khan urged ICC judges to proceed with investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.

The ten-page submission was in response to Israel’s recent appeal asking the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I to revoke the warrants and suspend ongoing investigations while its jurisdictional challenge is reviewed.

“There is no basis to withdraw or vacate the warrants,” Khan stated, stressing that the court had already established that the alleged actions of Netanyahu and Gallant fall within its legal jurisdiction.

The ICC initially issued arrest warrants for both officials in November 2024, after finding “reasonable grounds to believe” they bore responsibility for crimes committed in Gaza between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.

Although a jurisdictional challenge filed by Israel was dismissed last year, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber overturned that decision in April 2025, citing insufficient reasoning. However, Khan clarified that the reversal does not affect the validity of the arrest warrants.

The prosecutor concluded by asking the judges to dismiss Israel’s requests and allow investigations into the situation in Palestine to continue uninterrupted.

Meanwhile, tensions between the ICC and its critics have escalated. In February 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the court, accusing it of targeting the United States and its allies. This included financial restrictions and a block on Chief Prosecutor Khan’s Microsoft email account—a move that has reportedly disrupted the ICC’s operations.