ALBAWABA - According to Israeli news reports, major concerns have been cast over the possibility that the Israeli war cabinet members might only find out about the ICC arrest warrants while traveling abroad.
These concerns were raised after a report by the Israeli news daily Maariv revealed that Netanyahu was "unnaturally afraid and worried" due to the possibility of an arrest warrant by the ICC in The Hague.
Concerned Israeli officials have been attempting to win Western partners' backing for the International Criminal Court's probe of Israel's current war on Gaza, as well as past atrocities committed by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank beginning in 2014.
It is unknown when an arrest warrant might be issued, and it is not typical for the court to disclose such information. However, the idea of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu was first suggested by British pro-Israel journalist Douglas Murray in an editorial published on Thursday in the US tabloid newspaper The New York Post.
Israeli National Security Council (NSC) held a secret meeting, with high-profile officials attending, to discuss the possibility that international arrest warrants could be issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Galant, and Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi "in the coming days".
According to Israel's Channel 13, Israel's National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi chaired the meeting, during which arrest warrants for additional officials were considered.
They resolved to take a number of steps, including initiating a diplomatic pressure campaign and using Israel's international tools, to prevent the International Criminal Court (ICC) from issuing arrest warrants.
They recommended three immediate measures that Israel must take to tackle this prospective step, including mounting a political effort at the international level in an attempt to prevent any ICC action.
"Based on the information and indicators available to senior officials in Israel, there is a possibility that the International Criminal Court in The Hague will issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant and Halevi," Channel 13 reported.
