Israel asks ICC judges to drop Netanyahu arrest warrant

Israel asked the International Criminal Court to withdraw arrest warrants that it issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, as the ICC reviews Israeli challenges to its jurisdiction over the Gaza war. Documents published on the ICC website on Sunday,show Israel also asked the court to suspend the investigation of their alleged crimes until the judges rule on a jurisdictional challenge presented by Israel. The documents are signed by Israeli Deputy Attorney General Gilad Noam.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on November 21 for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes amid the war in Gaza, including “starvation as a method of war.” Israel rejects the jurisdiction of The Hague-based court. It also insists that its fighting in Gaza has accorded with international law, citing measures it has taken to avoid civilian casualties and to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid. It is contesting the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
The court also issued warrants for Hamas terror chiefs Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh for crimes against humanity during the October 7, 2023, onslaught — in which some 5,000 Hamas-led terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, starting the war — and beyond, but withdrew the warrants after all three were killed by Israel in separate incidents.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.