ICC Possibly Issues Arrest Letter Related To Gaza War, Israeli Foreign Minister: We Won't Bow Down

Israeli Foreign Minister Katz. (Wikimedia Commons/Adi Cohen Zedek/())

JAKARTA - Israel voiced concern over the possibility of an International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for their government officials regarding the war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Responding to Israeli media reports that the ICC may soon issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli government and military officials, Israel's Foreign Minister Katz warned the Israeli Embassy to increase their security, due to the risk of "severe antisemitism waves".

"We expect the (ICC) court to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Foreign Minister Katz said.

"We will not bow our heads or feel afraid and will continue to fight," he stressed.

Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday the ICC Decree would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.

Israeli officials fear the court will issue arrest warrants against PM Netanyahu and other top officials for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, Israeli media reported.

They also said the ICC was also considering arrest warrants for Hamas leaders.

The ICC, which can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, is investigating a cross-border attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, as well as a devastating Israeli military retaliation against Hamas-controlled Gaza which is now entering its seventh month.

The ICC, based in The Hague, and Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognize its jurisdiction. However, the Palestinian territories were accepted with member state status in 2015.

In October, Chief Prosecutor ICC Karim Khan confirmed the court had jurisdiction over potential war crimes committed by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

Khan said his team was actively investigating any crimes allegedly committed in Gaza and anyone violating the law would be held accountable.

The case at the ICC is different from the genocide case filed against Israel at the International Court, which is also based in The Hague.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is a UN court that handles inter-state disputes, while the ICC is a criminal court based on agreements that focus on individual criminal responsibility for war crimes.