Israel Responds To ICC's Request For Arrest Warrants For Netanyahu And Gallant

The head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry intends to urge the foreign ministers of other countries of the world to oppose the decision of the prosecutor's office.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded on May 20 to a request from the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Herzog called the statement by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan “outrageous” on social media.

According to him, this shows the extent to which the international judicial system is in danger of collapse. Herzog stressed that such a move “emboldens terrorists around the world and violates all the basic rules of the court in accordance with the principle of complementarity and other legal norms.”

“Hamas’ leaders are oppressive dictators guilty of launching mass murder, mass rape, and mass kidnappings of men, women, children and babies.

Any attempt to draw parallels between these atrocious terrorists and a democratically elected government of Israel — working to fulfill its duty to defend and protect its citizens entirely in adherence to the principles of international law — is outrageous and cannot be excepted by anyone,” the President of Israel said.

He expects all leaders of the free world to condemn this move outright.

enter>

The announcement of the prosecutor at the ICC is beyond outrageous, and shows the extent to which the international judicial system is in danger of collapsing.

Taken in bad faith, this one-sided move represents a unilateral political step that emboldens terrorists around the…

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) May 20, 2024

Katz also called Khan’s statement “outrageous”, and added he instructed the immediate establishment of a special command center at the Foreign Ministry, with all professional entities, aimed at fighting against the decision intended primarily “to shackle Israel's hands and prevent it from exercising its right to self-defense”. The Israeli Foreign Minister also urged the foreign ministers of leading countries around the world to oppose the Prosecutor's decision.

“While Hamas murderers and rapists commit crimes against humanity against our brothers and sisters, the Prosecutor mentions in the same breath the Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Israel alongside the vile Nazi-like monsters of Hamas – a historical disgrace that will be remembered forever,” the politician wrote.