Israel condemns ICC's arrest warrants as politicised move against its leaders

The decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has raised serious concerns, positioning the ICC as siding with those opposing Israel.

Dmitri Gendelman, adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said via his Telegram channel, Caliber.Az reports.

“Today, the ICC has chosen to ignore the evidence and arguments presented by Tel Aviv, effectively aligning itself with the war in the region instigated by the Iranian regime against Israel,” Gendelman stated.

In parallel, the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has expressed his strong opposition to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Herzog described the ruling as “unjust and outrageous.”

Herzog stated: "This is a black day for justice. A black day for humanity. The ICC's unscrupulous and outrageous decision has turned universal justice into a universal mockery. It mocks the victims of all those who have fought for justice, from the victory of the Allies over the Nazis to the present day."

Herzog's comments reflect Israel's deep dissatisfaction with the ICC's move, which has sparked international controversy.

Notably, on November 21 the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Hamas leader Mohammed Diab, accusing them of war crimes connected to the Gaza conflict.

The warrants place Netanyahu and Gallant at risk of detention if they travel internationally. Meanwhile, there are unverified reports suggesting that Deif may have been killed in an Israeli strike.

Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, had requested the warrants in May, asserting there were credible grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant were “criminally responsible” for actions resulting in mass starvation in Gaza, which he described as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On Thursday, the court stated that it found sufficient evidence to suggest Deif was responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape, and hostage-taking. These charges relate to the Hamas-led assault on Israel on 7 October, during which militants killed over 1,200 people—primarily civilians—and abducted 250 others.

By Aghakazim Guliyev