ICC issues arrest warrant for Israel’s Netanyahu, Galant over war crimes
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced Thursday the issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes in Gaza
Netanyahu and Galant are charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes from at least October 8, 2023, to at least May 20, 2024, the date when the prosecution requested the issuance of the arrest warrants.
Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC stated in a statement that they “unanimously rejected Israel’s challenges under Articles 18 and 19 of the Rome Statute and issued arrest warrants for Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Yoav Gallant.”
The Chamber considered that the alleged conduct of both leaders falls within “the jurisdiction of the Court.”
The Chamber further recalled that, in a previous ruling, it had already determined that “the Court’s jurisdiction in the situation extended to Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
The ICC’s statement also mentioned that the alleged actions of Netanyahu and Gallant “concerned the activities of Israeli government bodies and the armed forces against the civilian population in Palestine.”
In this context, the Chamber concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant “bear criminal responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare.”
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Iranian-backed militias have launched several attacks against Israel from Syria and Iraq. Additionally, Iran conducted an unprecedented assault on Israel in April, using hundreds of drones and missiles.
On Nov 15, Israeli forces advanced into Quneitra Governorate in southern Syria, annexing additional areas into Israel, according to a local source who spoke to North Press.