Israeli Defense Minister Calls Prosecutor ICC's Steps Against PM Netanyahu And Himself A Shame

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with the Israeli military on the Gaza border. (Wikimedia Commons/Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday described the prosecutor's request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an "embarrassing" attempt to interfere in the Gaza war.

" Prosecutor Karim Khan's efforts to deny the right of the State of Israel to defend itself and release its hostages must be completely rejected," Defense Minister Gallant said in a tweet on X.

In a statement announcing a request for an arrest warrant on Monday, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan stressed that Israel has the right to defend its residents.

"However, this right does not free Israel or any country from its obligation to comply with international humanitarian law," he said.

He said, despite Israel's military goals to achieve in Gaza, prosecutors believed that the ways Israel used to achieve it - "that is intentionally causing death, hunger, severe suffering, and serious injuries to the bodies or health of civilians" - were criminal acts.

As previously reported, Karim Khan applied for an arrest warrant from the court for PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammad Def.

Khan said on Monday the charges imposed on the two Israeli leaders included crimes "corresponding to culling, causing hunger as a method of war including the rejection of humanitarian aid supplies, deliberately targeting civilians in conflict," as quoted by The Times of Israel.

Meanwhile, the charges charged against three high-ranking Hamas militant groups were the destruction, murder, hostage-taking, rape, and sexual assault in detention.

"No one is above the law," Khan told CNN Christiane Amanpour.

Prosecutor Khan said if Israel disagrees with the ICC, "they are free, even though they object to jurisdictions, to pose challenges before court judges and that's what I suggest they do."

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 2023, 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.