Israeli media have reported that both Israel and the US are working to prevent the International Criminal Court from issuing an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu and several other officials. The possibility of an arrest warrant has put Prime Minister Netanyahu under special pressure, with reports indicating that he has been in constant communication with US President Biden’s administration to apply indirect pressure in order to avoid the warrant.
Experts in Israel believe that the ICC arrest warrant is imminent and could negatively impact Israel’s international reputation. Along with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi are also potential targets for arrest by the ICC. The Israeli government has held emergency meetings to strategize on how to deal with the situation, as the court could base the warrant on accusations of humanitarian crises in Gaza and violations of international law by the Israeli military.
Despite the potential consequences of an ICC arrest warrant, Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated that Israel will continue to defend itself and believes that the warrant would set a dangerous precedent. Israel does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, as it is not a member of the court. The ICC initiated an investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel in 2019, but a conclusion has yet to be reached.
In a separate case in December 2023, South Africa sued Israel at the ICJ for genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ demanded that Israel fulfill humanitarian obligations in Gaza but refused to consider the genocide accusation. The ICJ ruling requires Israel to prevent and punish acts of inciting genocide and share war developments with the court.