Israel's Justice Dept. says ICC prosecutor has no authority to seek arrests
World
Israel’s Justice Dept. says ICC prosecutor has no authority to seek arrests
JERUSALEM — Israel’s Justice Department says the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has no authority to seek arrest warrants against the country’s leaders because Israel is capable of investigating itself.
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes linked to the war in Gaza, including intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population and using starvation as a weapon of war.
Khan is also seeking warrants against three Hamas leaders over the militant group’s Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war.
Israel’s top justice officials — Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Prosecutor Amit Aisman— issued a statement on Wednesday calling the ICC allegations against Israel “unfounded.”
They said Israel’s legal offices “thoroughly examine all credible allegations of violations of the law by state officials, and enforce the law” adding that the ICC “lacks jurisdiction to conduct an investigation into the matter.”
Human right groups have long accused Israel of failing to investigate or punish its security forces over violence committed against Palestinians.
