ICC Prosecutor Defends War Crimes Allegations Agai...

ICC Prosecutor Defends War Crimes Allegations Against Israeli PM

The International Criminal Court Prosecutor, Karim Khan, has defended the decision to bring war crimes charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking in an interview with Reuters, Khan criticized Israel for making "no real effort" to investigate the allegations independently.

His comments follow a recent U.S. House of Representatives vote to sanction the ICC in protest of the arrest warrants. Khan described the move as "unwanted and unwelcome," emphasizing the court’s mandate as a last resort for justice.

The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu, former Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri. They face allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the Gaza conflict.

Israel, which denies the charges and rejects the ICC's jurisdiction, has not commented on Khan’s recent remarks. The United States, a key ally of Israel and a non-member of the ICC, has also criticized the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

"We are a court of last resort," Khan told Reuters. "As of now, we have not seen any real effort by Israel to investigate the same suspects for the same conduct, as required by established legal principles." He added that Israel still has the opportunity to demonstrate its willingness to investigate, even after the warrants were issued.

Khan noted that the ICC’s complementary principles allow cases to be deferred to national courts if credible investigations occur. He expressed hope that Israel would take action to address the allegations.

The ICC, with 125 member states, is tasked with prosecuting individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression. Khan acknowledged Israel’s strong legal framework but questioned its application in addressing allegations related to the occupied Palestinian territories.

"Israel has excellent legal expertise," he said. "The question is whether those legal tools have been properly utilized to scrutinize the allegations in the State of Palestine. So far, the answer is 'no'."

Khan’s remarks came a day after a ceasefire was reached between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, marking a pause in the ongoing Gaza conflict.