TNA Staff
The New Arab / May 12, 2025
Israel wants the International Criminal Court to withdraw arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his former defence chief for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Israel has asked judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to withdraw arrest warrants against its prime minister and former defence minister while the ICC reviews Israeli challenges to its jurisdiction over the conduct of the Gaza war.
Documents published on the ICC website late on Sunday also show Israel has asked the court to order the prosecution to suspend its investigation into alleged atrocity crimes in the Palestinian Territories.
The documents are dated 9 May and signed by Israeli Deputy Attorney General Gilad Noam.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on 21 November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.
Israel, which rejects the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denies war crimes in Gaza, is contesting the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
In April the ICC’s appeals chamber ruled that the judges of the pre-trial chamber which issued the warrants must review Israel’s objections regarding the court’s jurisdiction and the legality of the arrest warrants.
It is not clear what form the ordered review will take and there are no specific deadlines set for decisions on Israel’s request to withdraw the warrants and halt the investigation.
