ICC Rejects Bid to Overturn Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant Amid Global Pressure
THE HAGUE, July 17, 2025 — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected efforts by Israel and its allies to quash arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reaffirming charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, reported by Tasnim News Agency.
In a decision issued Wednesday, ICC judges dismissed Israeli objections, ruling that the arrest warrants remain legally binding as the court continues to review jurisdictional challenges brought by Tel Aviv.
The warrants, first issued in early 2025, accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of direct involvement in actions that led to or prolonged what prosecutors describe as a genocidal war in Gaza, which has, to date, killed over 58,000 Palestinians—most of them women and children.
The court also rejected a separate request to freeze its broader investigation into alleged crimes across the occupied Palestinian territories. Judges emphasized that prior appeals decisions cited by Israeli lawyers do not invalidate the warrants, calling the interpretation “incorrect.”
While Israel maintains it is not subject to ICC jurisdiction, citing its non-membership and framing the Gaza war as a legitimate military response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, the court stood firm in its position.
The case has played out amid extraordinary political pressure. Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has faced repeated threats, including a veiled warning in May from British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, allegedly relaying a message from Netanyahu’s legal team urging the withdrawal of charges—or face personal consequences.
The United States, a staunch Israeli ally, escalated pressure by sanctioning four ICC judges in June and revoking Khan’s visa earlier this year.
Despite mounting intimidation, the court declared the warrants will remain active until a formal jurisdiction ruling is made—on a timeline yet to be determined.
