Israel Seeks to Overturn ICC Arrest Warrants for War Criminals Netanyahu and Gallant
Tel Aviv also demanded the disqualification of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan from all cases related to Israel, according to a statement released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM — In a desperate bid to evade international accountability for war crimes committed in Gaza, the Israeli regime has formally submitted a request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking to revoke the arrest warrants issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Tel Aviv also demanded the disqualification of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan from all cases related to “Israel,” according to a statement released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Last month, the ICC rejected Israel’s attempt to appeal the warrants, ruling that the occupation’s request was “not an appealable issue” and reaffirming earlier findings that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the genocidal assault on Gaza.
In its latest statement, the Foreign Ministry claimed that “Israel Today filed a motion with the ICC Appeals Chamber to disqualify Prosecutor Karim Khan from participating in proceedings concerning Israel,” while also demanding the cancellation of what it called “unfounded arrest warrants.”
Netanyahu and Gallant Remain Wanted for War Crimes
The ICC maintained that the arrest warrants issued in late November 2024 remain active and legally binding. Prosecutor Karim Khan had applied for the warrants earlier that year after extensive investigations concluded that senior Israeli officials were responsible for:
• war crimes,
• crimes against humanity,
• and actions contributing to genocide since the October 2023 Israeli assault on Gaza.
Rather than addressing these charges, Tel Aviv is now trying to delegitimize the ICC process by launching personal attacks against Prosecutor Khan. Israel accused him of “political motives,” an allegation widely viewed as an attempt to divert attention from overwhelming evidence of Israeli atrocities.
US Interference: Trump Sanctions Cripple ICC’s Ability to Investigate Israel
Israel’s campaign to undermine the ICC has been bolstered by direct interference from the United States. Prosecutor Karim Khan has faced significant obstacles since the Trump administration imposed punitive sanctions against him in February — measures widely condemned as an assault on international justice.
These sanctions included:
• freezing Karim Khan’s bank accounts,
• cutting off his official email access,
• threatening American ICC staff members with arrest if they enter the US,
• and imposing fines or imprisonment on anyone providing technical or financial assistance to the prosecutor.
The sanctions came after the ICC announced arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, provoking fury in Washington, which consistently shields Israel from international accountability.
These actions have raised serious concerns about the future of the ICC and its ability to conduct war crimes investigations — especially those involving Israel, a close US ally. (PW)