Israel criticized the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing former ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan of issuing it to distract from sexual misconduct allegations against him.
ICC Arrest Warrant Dispute
On Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a strongly worded statement on X, calling the ICC “a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis.”
The statement described the ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu as “bogus” and alleged it was issued by Khan “a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public.”
It added, “It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.”
The statement also defended Israel’s military conduct in Gaza, saying that under Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel “has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians” while fighting Hamas.
It described Hamas as “a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians.”
The Prime Minister’s Office also criticized New York politician Zohran Mamdani, saying, “Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York.”
It further alleged that “Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies.”
Netanyahu Defends Israel’s Policies Amid Election Bid
Earlier this month, Netanyahu defended his government’s West Bank law enforcement record after Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) accused Israeli settlers and IDF soldiers of detaining American citizens.
Netanyahu said Israel upheld the rule of law and prosecuted violations.
Last month, he also called for greater Israeli independence in weapons production amid tensions with Iran, arguing that domestic arms manufacturing was critical for long-term security.
Meanwhile, his Likud party confirmed Netanyahu would seek re-election, with the vote set to be Israel’s first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
His current term has been marked by wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, along with domestic political challenges.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: paparazzza on Shutterstock.com
