The prime minister declared he would not be dissuaded from standing up for Israel and accused the court of anti-Semitism.
Israel will file an appeal against arrest orders for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, the International Criminal Court was informed on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, it also requested that the court halt the warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant while the appeal was being heard.
Last Monday, the ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, which was sparked by the October 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian militant group.
Netanyahu and other Israeli lawmakers strongly denounced the warrants.
The prime minister vowed not to let the court’s accusations of anti-Semitism stop him from standing up for Israel.
According to Netanyahu’s office, “The State of Israel contests the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the validity of the arrest warrants issued.”
“If the court rejects this request, it will further demonstrate to Israel’s friends in the United States and around the world how biased the International Criminal Court is against the State of Israel,” it added. The ICC did not make a direct comment on Israel’s appeal.
“If requests for appeal are submitted, it would be for the judges to decide,” ICC spokesman Fadi El-Abdallah told reporters when asked about the appeal.
“This request will further show Israel’s friends in the United States and around the world how biased the International Criminal Court is against the State of Israel if the court rejects it,” the statement continued.
Regarding Israel’s plea, the ICC remained silent. When questioned about the appeal, ICC spokesman Fadi El-Abdallah told reporters, “If requests for appeal are submitted, it would be for the judges to decide.”
Mohammed Deif, the military leader of Hamas, also has an arrest warrant issued by the ICC. Although Hamas has not acknowledged Deif’s death, Israel claimed in early August that it had killed him in an airstrike in southern Gaza in July.
On November 21, the court declared that it had discovered “reasonable grounds” to conclude that Netanyahu and Gallant were “criminally responsible” for the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other cruel deeds, as well as the war crime of famine as a means of warfare.
–Deeprows News
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