The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 21, 2024.
In a post on its official X account, the ICC stated, "The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber rejects the State of Israel's challenges to jurisdiction and issues warrants of arrest for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant." The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif.
By issuing this decision, the most significant in its 22-year history, the court has for the first time charged the leader of a Western-aligned state. Netanyahu and Gallant face the risk of arrest if they travel to any of the 124 countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, which established the court.
In September, Israel had filed a formal objection with the International Criminal Court regarding the legality of the prosecutor's request for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
Israel had argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the Palestinians' complaint against it, a situation that led the prosecutor to recently request the issuance of arrest warrants for the prime minister and the defense minister.
While Netanyahu's office characterized the ICC's November 21, 2024, decision as "antisemitic," the U.S. National Security Council at the time also announced that they were "deeply concerned" by the decision.
News Source: 12punto
