ICC prosecutor calls for urgent arrest warrants for Israeli leaders over war crimes

The Hague (Quds News Network)– Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has urged judges to urgently decide on issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing the court’s jurisdiction to investigate Israeli nationals for war crimes in the Palestinian territories, reported Reuters. Khan’s call for swift action was made in court filings released on Friday, emphasizing the need to address the rights of victims without delay.

“Any unjustified delay in these proceedings detrimentally affects the rights of victims,” Khan stated, urging the judges to expedite their decision on arrest warrants sought against Israeli officials. Khan asserted that the ICC has clear jurisdiction over crimes committed by Israeli nationals in Palestinian territories, dismissing legal challenges presented by various governments and other parties. He argued that provisions in the Oslo Accords and Israel’s claims of conducting its own war crimes investigations do not exempt Israeli officials from international scrutiny.

“It is settled law that the court has jurisdiction in this situation,” Khan’s filing stated, dismissing counterarguments that seek to challenge the ICC’s authority. The prosecutor’s filings came as ICC prosecutors alleged that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The genocide in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 40,000 Palestinians due to an ongoing Israeli assault.

The ICC judges have yet to announce a deadline for their decision on the arrest warrants, leaving the timeline for possible international legal actions against these leaders uncertain.