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ICC refuses to withdraw arrest warrant against Netanyahu<\/p>\n
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken no steps to withdraw arrest warrants or related applications concerning Israeli officials, despite mounting pressure and sanctions from the United States, Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan has said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe case is still proceeding,\u201d Khan told CNN in a weekend interview.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have taken no steps to try and withdraw any of those arrest warrant applications or the arrest warrants themselves, and the team continues to investigate in that situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then war minister, Yoav Gallant, over war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza since October 2023.<\/p>\n
Since then, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on most of the court’s leadership, including the former chief prosecutor Karim Khan, the two deputy prosecutors, and nine judges including the court’s president.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Israel has also taken steps to challenge the warrants at the ICC. Two appeals remain in progress, including one challenging the court’s jurisdiction over Israeli nationals because Israel is not a member of the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Middle East Eye has reported that the prosecutor\u2019s office had pursued further cases against senior Israeli officials over the past two years.<\/p>\n
In May, MEE reported that the prosecutor\u2019s office had filed a confidential application seeking arrest for Israel\u2019s Finance Minister Bezalal Smotrich over crimes committed against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n
The charges included forced displacement as both a war crime and crime against humanity, transferring Israel\u2019s civilian population into occupied territory as a war crime, and persecution and apartheid as crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n
An evidence review had also been held to consider two further applications, including one targeting National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.<\/p>\n
Khan\u2019s comments came amid an escalating campaign by the administration of President Donald Trump against the Hague-based court.<\/p>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in July that Washington would use every tool at its disposal to \u201cdismantle the ICC \u2013 brick by brick, if necessary\u201d, while urging member states to withdraw their support for the institution.<\/p>\n
In other press statements, Rubio also described the court as a \u201cstupid organization\u201d run by \u201clunatics and crazies\u201d, and warned that it would face consequences for attempting to exercise jurisdiction over American nationals.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n