Ayatollah Ali Khamenei About Netanyahu: The Arrest Letter Is Not Enough, The Death Penalty Must Be Sentenced

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian/PHOTO via Instagram @drmasoudpezeshkian

JAKARTA - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the death penalty should be imposed on Israeli leaders, not an arrest warrant.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei commented on the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense chief Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri.

"They issued an arrest warrant, that's not enough. The death penalty must be imposed on these criminal leaders", Khamenei said, referring to Israeli leaders reported by Reuters on Monday, November 25.

In its ruling, the judge of the ICC said there was a plausible reason to believe Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant were criminally responsible for the actions including murder, torture and hunger as weapons of war as part of an widespread and systematic attack on civilians in Gaza.

The decision was responded with anger in Israel, which called it embarrassing and unreasonable. Gazans expressed hope that this would help end violence and bring those responsible for war crimes to justice.

Israel rejects the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denies war crimes in Gaza.

The warrant for Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, listed charges of mass killings during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that sparked war in the long-blocked Palestinian territories, as well as charges of rape and hostage-taking.