ALBAWABA - A report by Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is concerned that the International Criminal Court (ICC) could issue an arrest warrant for him and other senior officials.
Quoting unnamed sources, Maariv said that Netanyahu was "unnaturally afraid and worried" due to the possibility of an arrest warrant by the ICC in The Hague. In recent days, Netanyahu contacted international leaders and officials, particularly US President Joe Biden, to try to prevent an arrest warrant from being issued.
Netanyahu wrote Friday on X: "Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense. The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it,".
Concerned Israeli officials have been working to gain support from Western allies for the ICC's investigation of Israel's current war on Gaza and earlier atrocities committed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank dating back to 2014.
It is unclear when an arrest warrant may be issued, and it is not customary for the court to release such information. However, the possibility of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu was first raised in an editorial piece by British pro-Israel journalist Douglas Murray published on Thursday in the US tabloid newspaper the New York Post.
Netanyahu stated that an ICC arrest warrant would have no impact on his war in Gaza, which has killed 34,000+ Palestinians and led to an inhumane dire disaster. "Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in the Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself," Netanyahu said in a statement on Telegram.
Senior Israeli officials are reportedly concerned about the implications of such a warrant for the Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Officials interviewed by Israel's Channel 13 network believe the ICC order will target policymakers rather than junior soldiers.
International agencies and human rights experts have repeatedly accused the country of violating international law with its war in Gaza, particularly in terms of collective punishment of Gaza's 2.3 million people, who are suffering from widespread starvation, disease, and displacement.
Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel
Hamas military group announced on Oct. 7 a military operation called "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel which is the biggest offensive in decades.
Palestinian fighters “infiltrated” Israel from the Gaza Strip and captured military bases and took hostages as photos and videos went viral online showing Hamas fighters on vehicles inside Israel and others paragliding into occupation territory.
In response, Israeli armed forces announced targeting Hamas positions inside the Gaza Strip. Thousands were killed, and dozens of thousands of others were injured in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The latest statistics by the Ministry of Health in Gaza revealed that the death toll from Israeli brutal pounding on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has soared to 34,388+ people, with more than 77,437+ injuries.
Since then, approximately 85% of Gazans have been displaced, all of whom are suffering from severe food insecurity, and the healthcare system has collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of people lack shelter, and aid trucks are entering the area at a lower rate than before the conflict began.
